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RANCISCO  VILLA 


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I.  &  M.  OTTENHEIMER,  PUBLISHERS, 
21  W.  Baltimore  Street,  Baltimore.  Maryland. 


THE  LIFE  AND  HISTORY 
OF 

FRANCISCO  VILLA 

THE  MEXICAN  BANDIT 
BY  CAPT  KENNEDY  0.  S.  A. 

NO.  9 


A  TRUE  AND  AUTHENTIC  LIFE  HISTORY  OF  THE  MOST 
NOTED  BANDIT  THAT  EVER  LIVED,  A  MAN 
WHO  HAS  OVERTHROWN  THE 
GOVERNMENT  OF  MEX- 
ICO AND  DEFIED 
THE  UNITED 
STATES. 


Copyrighted  MCMXVI  Royal  Pufc, 

I.  &  M.  OTTENHEIMER, 

Publishers 
321  W.  BALTIMORE  ST. 

BALTIMORE,  MD. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA 

THE  MEXICAN  BANBIT. 

CHAPTER  I. 


Thirty-seven  years  ago  there  was  born  a  man  wfid 
was  destined  to  shock  by  his  deeds  the  civilized  world. 

He  has  been  known  through  the  terrible  days  of 
his  life  of  robbery,  arson  and  murder  as  Francisco 
Villa. 

But  that  was  not  the  name  under  which  he  was 
christened  by  the  priest  in  the  little  mountain  town  of 
Las  Nieves,  in  the  State  of  Durango,  Mexico. 

That  name  was  Doroteo  Arranzo. 

What  caused  him  to  take  the  name  of  Francisco 


3  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Villa,  and  to  bestow  it  upon  his  family  is,  apparently, 
known  only  to  himself  and  so  far  as  authentic  records 
show  he  has  never  offered  any  explanation. 

Indeed,  the  whole  history  of  his  birth,  even  of  his 
parentage,  is  shrouded  in  mystery. 

As  to  who  his  father  was,  accounts  differ.  Some 
say  that  he  was  a  negro,  others  that  he  was  of  Mexi- 
can origin. 

Villa's  mother,  however,  was  a  full-blooded  Indian. 

Besides  the  notorious  bandit,  there  was  born  to  the 
Arranzos,  or  Villas  as  they  are  now  known,  a 
daughter. 

In  her  were  embodied  all  the  traits  of  her  parents 
and  to  them  she  added  a  beauty  so  unusual  that  she 
was  courted  by  Mexicans  from  far  and  near. 

Villa  loved  his  sister  passionately  and  it  was  be- 
cause of  her  that  he  became  an  outlaw  and  was  forced 
to  live  in  the  bush,  prize  money  mounting  into  the  thou- 
sands on  his  head,  hunted  relentlessly  by  the  Rurales 
— or  mounted  police — for  fifteen  years. 

Of  the  early  days  of  the  bandit's  life  little  is  known. 
But  we  may  suppose  he  grew  up  on  the  little  ranch 
owned  by  his  family. 

He  is  said  to  have  received  a  most  pious  training  at 
'the  hands  of  a  priest. 
,     The   fact  remains,  however,  that  Villa  is  grossly 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  5 

illiterate,  can  neither  read  nor  write,  but  has  learned 
to  sign  his  name. 

When  authentic  history  first  takes  cognizance  of 
Doroteo  Arranzo  he  was  eighteen  years  old. 

At  the  time,  he  was  known  as  Francisco  Villa,  and 
was  busily  engaged  in  cultivating  the  50  acres  which 
constituted  the  Villa  ranch  in  Las  Nieves. 

In  stature  he  was  of  medium  height,  with  massive 
shoulders  and  what  has  been  called  a  perfect  "bullet- 
shaped"  head. 

His  eyes  were  brown  and  he  had  a  mustache  which 
did  not  hide  the  noticeable  ugliness  of  his  mouth,  an 
ugliness  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  his  teeth  were  yel- 
low and  irregular. 

His  garb  consisted  of  cotton  trousers,  cotton  shirt 
and  the  pointed  sombrero. 

Money,  of  which  he  has  always  been  so  covetous, 
from  the  day  he  took  up  his  life  of  outlawry,  was 
almost  unknown  to  him. 

It  is  said  that  he  saved  what  he  earned  for  two  years 
before  he  had  enough  to  buy  his  first  gun. 

But,  apparently,  almost  as  soon  as  he  got  it  he  used 
it  to  commit  murder,  for  he  was  but  twenty  years  old 
when  he  killed  his  first  man. 

And  the  money  to  buy  this  gun  was  earned  by  Villa 
by  driving  cattle  owned  by  neighboring  ranchers  over 
the  mountain  to  be  sold. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT; 


History  records  another  member  of  the  Villa  fam- 
ily in  those  days  in  the  person  of  an  aged  grand- 
parent. 

The  killing  of  his  first  man  sent  Villa  to  the  moun- 
tains as  an  outlaw. 

At  that  time,  when  he  was  but  twenty  years  old, 
began  the  hunt  for  him  which  lasted  for  fifteen  years. 

During  this  period,  he  robbed,  burned  and  murdered 
till  his  name  became  a  terror  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  Mexico. 

Never  was  there  a  day  when  the  Rurales  were  not 
on  his  trail.  But  he  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed  life, 
a  superstition  which  he  has  always  been  at  the  greatest 
pains  to  inculcate  in  the  minds  of  his  ignorant  fellow- 
country  men. 

No  matter  how  clever  the  traps  laid  for  him,  he 
always  managed  to  extricate  himself:  no  matter  how 
overwhelming  the  odds  against  him,  he  always  man- 
aged to  escape.  „, 

Nine  times  he  was  wounded  but  from  them  all  he 
recovered. 

Each  act  of  crime  he  committed  made  him  bolder. 
He  rode  about  the  country  fearlessly,  helping  himself 
to  anything  he  wanted,  killing  those  who  incurred  his 
anger  or  his  ever-excitable  suspicion,  till  in  despera- 
tion, Porfirio  Diaz,  then  president  of  Mexico,  offered 
a  reward  of  twenty  thousand  dollars  for  his  capture. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  7 

But  even  this  prize  money,  great  as  it  was  to  the 
people  among  whom  he  lived,  did  not  induce  any  one 
to  kill  him,  though  many  tried. 

Upon  Francisco  Madero,  for  a  while  president  of 
Mexico,  the  onus  of  transforming  Villa  from  a  terror- 
inspiring  bandit  to  a  national  hero  is  placed. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  fifteen  years  when  he 
was  nothing  but  a  desperate  outlaw,  Villa  made  the 
acquaintance.^  Raoul  Madero,  brother  of  Francisco. 

At  the  time,  Francisco  was  pushing  his  revolt  against 
the  rule  of  Porfirio  Diaz. 

The  bandit  seemed  to  fascinate  Raoul  and  they  be- 
came great  chums. 

As  the  Madero  revolution  vacillated  between  failure 
and  success,  finally  seeming  doomed  to  failure,  Raoul 
Madero  conceived  the  idea  of  enlisting  Villa  in  his 
brother's  cause. 

Sometime  during  his  career,  the  bandit  is  said  to 
have  served  in  the  United  States  Army. 

At  all  events,  he  had  a  crude  knowledge  of  affairs 
military,  and  Raoul  was  impressed  with  the  manner  in 
which  he  inspired  blind  devotion  on  the  part  of  his 
followers. 

Having  conceived  the  idea,  Raoul  wrote  to  his 
brother.  There  is  said  to  be  .a  letter  on  record  in 
which  Raoul  extols  the  bandit  as  a  hero  and  genius 


8  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

at  the  very  time  when  he  was   feared  throughout 
Mexico  as  a  blood-lusting  cut-throat. 

Willing  to  grasp  at  any  straw  that  might  save  the 
day  for  his  fast-failing  revolution,  Francisco  Madero 
sent  a  commission  to  the  bandit. 

From  that  day  when,  as  a  soldier,  he  took  up  arms 
against  the  rule  of  Porfirio  Diaz,  Villa's  deeds  have 
alternately  horrified  and  roused  the  admiration  of 
the  entire  world.  % 

The  men  whom  Villa  gathered  into  his  command 
worshipped  him. 

To  all  his  followers  he  has  always  been  "Pancho" — 
the  Spanish  nickname  for  Francisco — evidence  that 
they  knew  and  felt  that  he  was  one  of  their  own 
mould,  not  a  member  of  the  hated  aristocracy  or  land- 
owning class. 

In  the  days  of  his  outlawry,  he  was  dubbed  "The 
Tiger." 

When  he  became  an  officer  in  the  revolutionary  army 
of  Francisco  Madero  he  declared  himself  to  be  the 
people's  idol  and  terror — and  he  still  is  today  among 
the  masses  of  the  Mexicans. 

When  Diaz  was  at  last  deposed  and  Madero  be- 
came president  with  Victoriano  Huerta  as  his  generalis- 
simo, there  sprang  up  the  same  intense  hatred  between 
Villa  and  Huerta  that  had  existed  between  Villa  and 
Diaz. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA*  BANDIT  9 

Huerta  cast  Villa  into  jail. 

Madero  quickly  released  him. 

But  when  Huerta  ascended  to  the  presidency  after 
Madero's  death>  one  of  his  first  acts  was  to  cast  Villa 
into  jail  again. 

His  luck  still  held  true,  however,  and  before  Huerta 
could  have  him  removed  "Pancho"  escaped. 

As  might  be  expected,  no  sooner  had  he  made  his 
escape  than  the  people's  idol  and  terror  took  up  arms 
against  Huerta, 


10  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT, 


CHAPTER  II. 
VILLA'S  FIRST  MURDER. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  in  this  story  of  Francisco  Villa 
to  narrate  his  deeds  since  he  became  a  revolutionist— 
the  newspapers  and  magazines  have  chronicled  his 
movements  and  exploits  from  the  day  he  went  to 
Madero's  aid — but  to  give  the  account  of  the  obscure 
days  when  he  terrorized  his  native  land  by  his  out- 
lawry. 

But  it  will  give  an  insight  into  this  man  whose  fol- 
lowers acclaim  him  as  hero  and  whose  enemies  call 
him  the  devil  incarnate,  to  consider  his  characteristics. 

From  his  Indian  mother  he  received  his  violent  emo- 
tion, either  for  love  or  hate,  his  superstition,  his 
marvellous  agility  and  his  suspicion* 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  11 

From  his  father  he  doubtless  inherited  his  love  for 
drink,  for  women,  and  his  fearlessness. 

Because  of  his  lowly  origin,  the  ignorant  masses  of 
the  Mexicans  feel  and  know  that  he  is  one  of  them 
and  they  yield  to  him  blind  obedience. 

He  seems  to  have  a  marvellous  faculty  of  attracting 
men  of  all  ranks  'and  descriptions  to  him  and  his  ability 
to  handle  his  men  and  to  direct  his  armies  has  led  some 
of  his  most  enthusiastic  admirers  and  apologists  to 
place  him  high  upon  the  pinnacle  of  fame  as  a  military 
genius. 

But  despite  the  glory  and  honors  that  have  been 
accorded  him,  Francisco  Villa  is  a  murderer  and  was 
for  fifteen  years  before  he  acquired  fame  as  a  soldier. 

To  those  who  delight  to  place  the  blame  for  a  man's 
mistakes  and  crimes  upon  a  woman,  there  will  be  a 
cynical  satisfaction  that  the  woman  in  Villa's  case  was 
his  sister. 

As  has  been  said,  her  beauty  made  her  the  toast 
throughout  the  State  of  Durango. 

Among  the  innumerable  wooers  who  serenaded  her 
with  their  guitars  or  chatted  with  her  a's  they  lazily 
puffed  their  cigarettes,  was  the  sheriff,  or  jefe  politico. 

Whether  it  was  his  rank  or  his  personality,  it  soon 
became  evident  to  her  other  suitors  and  Jo  her  family, 
that  the  sheriff  had  her  preference. 

It  is  evident  that  Villa  viewed  this  attachment  be- 


12  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

tween  a  man  of  high  standing  in  the  State  and  his 
humble,  though  beautiful,  sister  with  suspicion. 

At  last  his  opposition  to  the  courtship  became  so 
pronounced  that  when  Villa  went  on  one  of  his  trips 
across  the  mountains  with  cattle  for  one  of  his  neigh- 
bors, the  sheriff  and  the  girl  took  advantage  of  his 
absence  to  elope. 

Evidently  fearing  some  such  event,  Villa  had  com- 
missioned one  of  his  chums,  Dato  Lopez,  to  keep  his 
eye  on  the  lovers. 

When  they  eloped,  Dato  rode  post  haste  to  inform 
Villa. 

"Were  they  married  ?"  demanded  the  brother,  as  his 
chum  finished  his  story. 

"There  are  no  records  of  any  ceremony,"  Dato  re- 
plied. 

Crazed  by  the  information,  Villa  turned  over  the 
driving  of  the  cattle  to  market  to  a  cowboy  and  rode 
back  to  Las  Nieves  with  Dato. 

Arrived,  he  hurriedly  enlisted  two  other  friends  to 
help  him  in  the  plan  he  had  formed  as  he  rode  home 
to  his  little  ranch,  Bepo  and  Enrico. 

Accompanied  by  them,  he  went  to  the  village  priest. 

"Father,"  said  he,  "I  want  you  to  go  into  the  moun- 
tains with  me  to  marry  my  sister  to  the  sheriff/' 

Deeming  refusal  dangerous,  the  priest  agreed  and 
quickly  were  they  under  way. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  13 

Without  difficulty,  Villa  picked  up  the  trail  of  the 
elopers  and  when  he  reached  the  last  ranch  house  be- 
fore entering  the  mountains  he  borrowed  a  spade. 

Three  days'  hard  riding  brought  them  just  at  sun- 
down to  the  spot  where  the  elopers  had  pitched  their 
camp. 

They  were  away  when  the  little  troop  arrived  but 
soon  returned. 

At  the  sight  of  the  brother  with  whose  sister  he  had 
run  away,  the  sheriff  stopped,  then  looked  about  for  a 
means  of  escape. 

"Don't  run,  come  here!"  thundered  Villa,  covering 
the  official  with  his  gun,  the  gun  to  buy  which  he  had 
saved  for  two  years. 

Unwillingly  the  couple  obeyed. 

"Are  you  married  ?"  Villa  demanded  of  his  sister. 

But  she  only  hung  her  head. 

"Answer  me !"  he  roared,  his  eyes  wild  with  fury. 

Still  his  sister  kept  silent,  cowering  for  protection 
against  the  man  with  whom  she  eloped. 

"I  know  you  are  not.  If  you  were,  you  would  tell 
me.  But  before  the  sun  sets  tonight  you  will  be,"  he 
growled. 

"Only  a  priest  can  marry  us,"  exclaimed  the  sheriff, 
thinking  he  had  found  a  way  to  avoid  the  ceremony 
with  the  low-caste  beauty. 

"And  only  a  priest  will,"  snarled  Villa. 


14  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"But  how  can  we  be  married  before  sunset  if  there 
is  no  priest?"  demanded  the  sheriff. 

"I  have  brought  one,"  the  brother  answered.  Then 
turning  to  his  companions,  he  said:  "Bepo,  ask  the 
good  father  to  come  here." 

For  Villa  had  deemed  it  wise  to  conceal  the  presence 
of  the  priest  by  hiding  him  behind  a  rock. 

As  the  good  father  stepped  forth,  the  sheriff 
groaned. 

"Be  quick,  father,"  urged  Villa.  "We  must  be  on 
our  way  shortly." 

Accoutring  himself  in  his  vestments,  the  priest 
stepped  before  the  sheriff  and  the  beauty  with  whom 
he  had  run  away. 

The  short  service  was  soon  over. 

"Now  you  are  legally  married,"  exclaimed  Villa  to 
his  sister. 

"Then  everything  is  all  right?"  asked  the  sheriff 
who  feared  the  short,  heavy  man  before  him. 
-  "Yes." 

"Good.    We'll  return  to  Las  Nieves  and  celebrate." 

"There's  a  little  work  to  be  done  first,"  declared 
Villa.  "  'Rico,  get  the  spade  attached  to  my  saddle." 

In  amazement  the  others  heard  the  orders  and  in 
amazement  they  watched  the  brother  as  he  received 
the  shovel  from  his  friend. 

His  face,  terrible  to  see,  Villa  turned  on  the  sheriff, 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  15 

"Take  this  shovel  and  dig  a  grave,"  he  commanded. 

As  they  heard  the  grim  order,  the  others  shrank 
back. 

"What "  began  the  sheriff,  only  to  be  interrupted 

by  his  new-made  brother-in-law. 

"Don't  ask  questions  but  dig"  cried  Villa. 

Fascinated,  wondering  what  the  brother  intended  to 
do,  the  others  watched  while  the  sheriff  dug. 

"That  will  do,"  exclaimed  Villa,  at  last. 

Quickly  the  sheriff  straightened  up. 

At  the  same  instant  a  gun  barked  and  the  man  who 
had  eloped  with  the  beauty  sunk  down  in  the  grave 
he  had  dug. 


It5  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  III. 
VILLA  ADMINISTERS  THE  OATH  OF  ALLEGIANCE. 

Instinctively  the  others  drew  away  from  the  man 
who  had  murdered  his  brother-in-law. 

But  Villa  only  laughed,  picked  up  the  shovel  ,2nd 
threw  in  the  earth  upon  the  man  he  had  killed. 

"Father,"  said  he  when  he  had  finished  the  task.  "I 
want  you  to  escort  my  sister  safely  back  to  the  ranch 
at  Las  Nieves. 

"Having  put  the  sheriff  out  of  the  way,  the  State 
of  Durango  will  not  be  a  safe  place  for  me." 

Realizing  protest  would  be  vain,  the  priest  agreed. 

Part  of  the  way,  Villa  and  his  companions  accom- 
panied them,  tkea  beaded  towat4  tbe  5wra  Ma<3hr« 
Mouutefos. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  17 

Francisco  Villa,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  was  a  mur- 
derer, doomed  by  his  act  to  a  life  of  outlawry. 

"You'd  better  come  with  me,"  he  said  to  his 
friends.  "You  are  accessories  and  can  be  shot  as  well 
as  I." 

Fearing  to  refuse  the  three  cowboys  agreed. 

On  the  way  they  stopped  at  the  Rondo  ranch. 

"Any  money?"  demanded  Villa,  as  the  owner 
stepped  upon  the  porch  to  greet  him. 

"Yes." 

"Get  it." 

"Never/1 

Again  Villa's  gun  barked  and  the  ranch  owner 
dropped. 

"Quick,  inside  and  get  the  money,"  he  cried. 

In  short  order  they  opened  the  safe  and  found 
$2500. 

"We'll  burn  the  house  to  cover  our  work,"  Villa 
announced,  as  he  stuffed  the  money  into  his  shirt. 

Reluctantly  the  others  applied  the  tojch;  then  went 
out  to  their  horses  and  were  riding  away,  when  the 
Rondo  cowboys  dashed  up,  having  been  attracted  by 
the  shot 

As  they  saw  the  house  in  flames  the  punchers  started 
for  Villa  and  his  men. 

"Give  them  a  shot,"  commanded  the  outlaw, 

Again  and  again  their  guns  barked,  then  the  bandits 


18  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

raced  toward  the  Sierras  and  in  due  course  reached 
a  cave  which  Villa  announced  would  be  their  head- 
quarters. 

As  he  lay  stretched  out  on  the  ground,  the  bandit 
leader  determined  to  live  up  to  his  nickname,  "The 
Tiger." 

Visions  of  the  rich  ore  wagons  as  they  crawled  along 
the  trails  from  the  mines  to  the  railroad  stations 
flashed  into  his  mind. 

At  the  same  time,  however,  he  realized  that  in  order 
to  be  able  to  carry  out  any  plans  that  came  into  his 
head  he  must  have  assistance — and  he  then  and  there 
determined  to  organize  the  band  which  has  robbed, 
burned  and  murdered  from  one  end  of  Mexico  to 
the  other. 

Sitting  up,  he  shouted :    "Bepo,  Dato,  Enrico." 

From  the  nooks  they  had  selected,  the  three  men 
came  forth. 

"Come  here,"  Villa  commanded,  himself  sitting  up. 

And  when  the  trio  had  obeyed,  he  bade  them  seat 
themselves,  rolled  a  cigarette  and  then  studied  the  face 
of  first  one  and  then  another. 

At  last  he  spoke: 

"Before  I  outline  my  plans  I  want  to  remind  you 
that  I  have  each  mother's  son  of  you  in  my  power. 

"You  were  all  with  me  when  we  robbed  the  safe 
of  the  Gringo's  ranch.  You  were  all  with  me  when 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  19 

we  set  fire  to  the  storehouse.  You  each  of  you  shot 
at  the  Gringo  cowpunchers. 

"Whether  those  bullets  killed  any  of  them  we  don't 
%  know. 

"So  I  can  hand  every  one  of  you  over  to  the 
Rurales  for  robbery,  arson  and  murder — but  I  won't. 

"If  any  one  of  you  wants  to  leave  after  hearing 
my  plan,  you  can  do  so. 

"But  if  any  one  does  and  he  betrays  me — or  tries 
to — he  won't  be  alive  after  I  meet  him  again.  Just 
get  that  in  your  heads  and  remember  it." 

As  the  heavy-lipped  bandit  warmed  to  his  words, 
he  waved  his  hands  and  rolled  his  eyes,  excitedly. 

Terrified  by  his  words,  his  companions  watched  his 
every  move,  forgetting  even  to  puff  on  their  cigarettes 
as  they  listened  to  what  he  said. 

Suddenly  he  leaned  forward. 

"Do  you  want  to  leave,  Dato  ?"  he  demanded,  at  the 
same  time  pointing  his  finger  at  the  man  nearest  him. 

"N-no,"  faltered  the  half  breed. 

"Do  you,  Enrico?" 

"No-o." 

"Do  you,  Bepo?" 

"No." 

"Good.  I'll  make  you  rich.  I'll  make  your  names 
so  feared  that  you'll  only  have  to  tell  who  you  are  to 
have  women  and  Gringos  hand  over  their  money, 


20  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDI1 

jewels  and  cattle  to  leave  them  alone. 

"Peons  can  work  for  a  peso  a  day  if  they  want  to, 
but  I,  Francisco  Villa,  will  never  take  less  than  a 
thousand  dollars,  gold, — and  I'll  take  it  when  I  want 
it,  and  as  often  as  I  want  it. 

"Madre  di  Dios,  but  I'll  live  the  life — money, 
women  and  pulque ! 

"Do  you  want  to  share  them  with  me?" 

Eyes  big  with  greed,  faces  flushed  with  excitement, 
the  three  men  chorused  their  eagerness  to  follow  the 
bandit  chieftain. 

"Then  take  the  oath  of  alligiance,"  exclaimed  Villa. 
"And  remember,  each  and  every  one  of  you  must  obey 
me  in  everything.  Death  will  be  the  penalty  for  the 
slightest  disobedience." 

From  his  sash,  Pancho  drew  a  knife  on  whose 
blade  dark  spots  showed  that  it  had  tasted  blood. 

"Swear  on  this,"  he  said.  "Dato,  you  first.  Put 
your  right  hand  on  the  blade  and  repeat  what  I  say." 

Fascinated,  the  half  breed  reached  forth  his  hand, 
but  as  his  fingers  touched  the  blood  spots,  he  drew 
it  back. 

"Don't  be  afraid — it's  only  Gringo  blood,"  laughed 
Villa.  "That's  better.  Now  repeat : 

"  'By  the  mother  that  bore  me  I  swear  to  follow 
Francisco  Villa  wherever  he  may  lead ;  to  go  wherever 
he  tells  me  to  go;  to  do  whatever  he  tells  me  to  doj 


F RANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  21 

to  give  him  all  loot,  money,  jewels,  women,  cattle  or 
horses  I  take  and  to  accept  willingly  the  portion  he 
allots  me ;  if  I  disobey  him  or  betray  him  or  any  of  his 
band,  I  hope  my  soul  will  rot  in  hell  and  my  body 
become  the  food  of  snakes  and  tarantulas/ 

"Now  kiss  the  blade,"  commanded  Villa  as  Dato, 
pale  and  trembling,  finished  repeating  the  terrible  oath, 
which  bound  him,  body  and  soul,  to  the  bandit  chief- 
tain. 

In  turn,  Bepo  and  Enrico  swore  their  allegiance. 

"Now  go  back  where  you  were  while  I  make  my 
plans,"  ordered  Pancho. 

And  rolling  another  cigarette,  he  stretched  out  on 
his  back  again,  lazily  blowing  rings  of  smoke,  while 
the  three  members  of  his  band  returned  to  their  re- 
spective nooks  in  silence,  too  terrified  by  the  awful 
oath  they  had  sworn  to  talk  among  themselves. 


22  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT; 


CHAPTER  IV. 
THWARTED. 

Toward  sunset,  the  bandit  chieftain,  whose  name 
was  destined  to  become  a  horror  throughout  the  civil- 
ized world,  sat  up. 

"Bepo,  get  supper,"  he  called.  "Dato,  you  and  'Rico 
look  to  the  horses  and  saddles.  We  ride  to  night." 

As  the  trio  went  about  Villa's  commands,  having 
recovered  from  the  immediate  terror  of  the  oath  they 
had  taken,  they  talked  with  one  another  in  low  voices, 
wondering  what  their  leader  had  in  mind. 

But  Pancho,  though  he  heard  them,  did  not  gratify 
their  curiosity,  devoting  all  his  attention  to  cleaning 
the  rifles  and  shooting  irons  they  would  take  with 
them. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  23 

"Don't  you  want  me  to  do  that  ?"  asked  Bepo,  wait- 
ing for  the  coffee  to  boil. 

"No;  when  I  attend  to  the  guns  myself,  I  know 
they  are  all  right,"  the  chieftain  returned. 

And  his  manner  was  so  brusque  that  Bepo  hurried 
back  to  his  cook  fire. 

Not  until  they  had  finished  eating  and  had  lighted 
their  cigarettes  did  the  leader  of  the  newly  organized 
gang  of  bandits  disclose  his  intention. 

"It's  lonesome  in  this  cave,"  he  declared,  blowing 
out  a  cloud  af  smoke.  "Any  place  is  lonesome  with- 
out a  pretty  face  or  two." 

"But  would  any  woman  want  to  live  way  up  in  the 
Sierra  Madre  Mountains  and  in  a  cave  at  that?"  in- 
quired Dato. 

"What  difference  does  that  make  whether  they  want 
to  or  not?"  the  bandit  leader  demanded. 

"Why,  they  wouldn't  come  if  they  didn't  want  to,M 
returned  the,  half  breed. 

"Oh,  wouldn't  they?"  Pancho  sneered. 

"You  just  wait  and  see.  Besides  they  won't  have 
any  say  about  it.  We'll  just  get  them  and  bring  them 
here." 

"Kidnap  'em,  you  mean?"  asked  'Rico. 

"If  you  want  to  call  it  that,  yes." 

"A-ah!"  exclaimed  Bepo,  in  deep  satisfaction. 
"That  is  the  good  idea. 


24  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"There  is  a  Gringo  girl  at  the  Los  Rodas  ranch  that 
I  would  like.  I  have  asked  her  to  marry  me,  but 
she  laugh  and  call  me  'greaser/ 

"I  kissed  her  once  and  she  boxed  my  ear.  O-ow!" 
And  the  bandit  rubbed  his  ear  as  though  it  still  tingled 
from  the  blow. 

"Good,"  chuckled  Villa.    "You  shall  have  her. 

"How  about  you,  Dato?  Any  one  in  particular 
you'd  like?" 

"No." 

"And  you, 'Rico?" 

"I  think  the  Senorita  Dolores  Gonzales,  daughter 
of  the  banker  in  Casas  Grandes,  is  very  beautiful." 

"Then  you  shall  have  her." 

"But  she's  Mexican,"  Dato  exclaimed,  in  evident 
surprise  that  the  bandit  chieftain  should  even  think 
of  kidnapping  one  of  his  own  nationality. 

"That  makes  no  difference,"  Pancho  returned. 
"When  one  of  my  band  wants  anything,  h«  shall  have 
it— if  I  approve,  or  die  in  trying  to  get  it. 

"Myself,  I  like  very  much  the  looks  of  the  wife  of 
the  Americano  who  runs  the  Honora  ranch." 

Unconsciously  his  companions  started  ^s  they  heard 
his  words. 

Grinning  at  the  effect  they  produced*  Bgw^io  re* 
peated: 

"Yes,  I  like  her  looks  very  much. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  25 

"Come  on  it  is  a  thirty-mile  ride  to  the  Honora 
ranch.  We'll  go  there  first.  Then  to  Los  Rodas,  and 
tomorrow  night  we  will  get  Dolores  for  you  'Rico." 

As  he  concluded,  Villa  picked  up  his  rifle,  bade  his 
men  get  theirs,  and  led  the  way  to  the  plateau  where 
the  horses  were  hobbled. 

"We'll  have  to  get  more  horses,"  Pancho  com- 
mented as  he  looked  at  the  half  dozen  browsing. 

"I  intend  to  strike  in  all  driections  and  it  will  mean 
hard  riding.  To  do  it,  we  must  have  plenty  of  fresh 
mounts  to  choose  from." 

The  saddling  and  bridling  took  but  a  very  short 
time  and  as  the  first  shadows  of  evening  fell  across 
the  trail,  the  four  desperadoes  rode  down  the  moun- 
tain, the  man  whose  black  deeds  have  shocked  the 
world  in  the  lead. 

Knowing  almost  every  stone  and  bush  in  the  region, 
Villa  led  his  men  at  a  stiff  pace. 

As  though  to  further  their  dread  purpose,  the  night 
came  up  cloudy  and  black. 

Only  the  eyes  of  men  accustomed  to  travel  in  the 
darkness  could  have  detected  the  buildings  of  the 
Honora  ranch  when  the  bandits  reached  them,  for  it 
was  close  to  midnight  and  no  lights  were  burning  in 
the  home  house  or  in  the  cow  punchers'  shack. 

"Shall  we  ride  to  the  shack  while  you  go  to  the 
house?"  Dato  asked,  in  a  whisper.  "We  three  can 


26  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

stand  off  the  Gringo  punchers  long  enough  for  you 
to  get  the  woman." 

"There's  no  need  of  it/'  Pancho  returned.  "Hark- 
ness  and  the  boys  are  out  on  the  round-up.  I  found 
that  out  yesterday. 

"Nobody  home  but  the  woman  and  the  Chink  cook. 

"Now  this  is  the  way  we'll  do  it.  Dato,  you'll  go 
to  the  door  and  knock.  When  the  Senora  opens  it, 
Bepo  will  grab  her  and  swing  her  up  onto  my  horse. 

"  'Rico  will  stand  by  to  deal  with  the  Chink  if  he 
should  try  to  make  any  trouble. 

"All  ready." 

And  the  four  men  rode  toward  the  home  house. 

Dismounting  silently,  Dato  and  Bepo  approached  the 
door. 

With  the  butt  of  his  six-shooter,  Dato  pounded  on  it. 

Loudly  the  raps  rang  out  in  the  midnight  stillness, 
but  though  they  listened  intently,  no  sound  of  any  one 
stirring  within  the  house  did  the  men  bent  on  so  foul 
a  mission  hear. 

"Carramba!  Can  she  be  gone,  too?"  Villa  growled. 
"Knock  again,  Dato." 

Harder  than  before  the  half  breed  beat  upon  the 
door. 

Came  moments  of  silence,  then  suddenly  a  light 
shone  from  the  windows  in  front  of  them. 

Cursing  furiously,  Pancho  hissed : 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  27 

"Quick !  get  the  horses  over  onto  the  other  side  in 
the  dark." 

Hurriedly  Bepo  and  'Rico  obeyed. 

In  the  light  from  the  lamp,  they  could  see  the  wife 
of  the  ranch  owner  moving  toward  the  door. 

"Be  ready  and  quick,  Bepo,"  Pancho  breathed,  set- 
ting himself  to  receive  the  prize  he  coveted. 

But  instead  of  opening  the  door,  Mrs.  Harkness 
called: 

"Who's  there?" 

"A  friend,"  answered  the  bandit  chieftain. 

"Friends  don't  come  at  this  hour  of  the  night,"  re- 
turned the  ranch  owner's  wife.  "Go  away  instantly 
or  I'll  shoot." 

"But  Mr.  Harkness,  he  is  hurt.  He  sent  me  for 
you,"  lied  Villa. 

"How  does  it  happen  he  sent  a  Mexican  when  all 
our  punchers  are  Americans?  You  can't  fool  me 
that  way. 

"If  you  don't  go  before  I  count  five,  I'll  shoot." 

"Beat  in  the  door,"  roared  the  infuriated  bandit 
chieftain. 

As  the  butts  of  their  rifles  fell  upon  the  door,  the 
ranch  owner's  wife  raised  her  pisto]  and  fired. 

Angered  at  the  failure  of  his  ruse,  Pancho  leaped 
from  his  horse,  dashed  to  a  window,  kicked  it  in  with 
his  boot  and  sprang  inside. 


28  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Her  attention  distracted  from  the  door  by  the  crash*- 
ing  of  the  window  glass,  Mrs.  Harkness  turned. 

As  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  intruder,  she  staggered 
back. 

"My  God !  Francisco  Villa !"  she  gasped. 

Then,  clutching  at  her  throat  she  stammered: 

" W-what  do  you  want  ?" 

"You." 

As  he  uttered  the  word,  the  man  who  had  often 
shared  their  food  with  the  cowboys  of  the  Honora 
ranch  and  was,  therefore,  known  to  its  mistress,  leapt 
forward,  swinging  the  barrel  of  his  rifle  so  that  it 
knocked  the  woman's  pistol-hand  aside. 

"John!  Help!  John!  John!"  She  shrieked  in 
the  effort  to  bring  the  Chinese  cook  to  her  assistance. 

"No  use,"  leered  Pancho.    "I  have  you  now." 

With  a  lightning  movement,  Villa  seized  the  woman 
about  the  waist,  swung  about,  shot  out  the  light  and 
dashed  for  the  door  which  his  men  had  opened. 

Frantically  his  captive  struggled  but  the  bandit  only 
laughed. 

Suddenly  a  shot  rang  out. 

Blood  spurted  over  Pancho  and  he  stopped. 

"Madre  di  Dios!    She's  killed  herself!"  he  cried. 

A  moment  he  stood  as  though  abashed  at  the  horror 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  29 

his  attack  had  wrought,  then,  with  a  volley  of  oaths, 
cast  the  body  roughly  to  the  ground,  darted  to  his 
horse,  leaped  into  the  saddle  and  dashed  away,  fol- 
lowed by  his  horror-struck  companions. 


30  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT; 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  KIDNAPPING. 

Furious  that  his  plan  had  failed,  that  it  had  ended 
so  tragically,  for  the  bandit  chieftain  was  young  in  his 
career  of  blood  and  pillage  and,  therefore,  less  hardened 
than  now,  Villa  rode  at  a  wild  pace. 

And  behind  him,  as  best  they  could,  his  companions 
followed,  too  unnerved  at  the  outcome  of  the  kidnap- 
ping plot  to  talk  to  one  another. 

As  the  shock  of  the  death  of  the  owner  of  the 
Honora  ranch  lessened,  Villa's  anger  rose. 

Vain  ever  in  his  youth,  it  maddened  him  to  think 
that  a  woman  should  prefer  death  to  him.  And  as 
though  to  avenge  himself,  he  rowelled  his  mount  un- 
mercifully with  his  spurs. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  31 

His  first  idea  was  to  return  to  the  cave  in  the  Sierra 
Madres.  But  he  feared  the  effect  such  a  return, 
empty-handed,  after  he  had  vowed  to  bring  hack  some 
pretty  faces,  might  have  upon  his  followers  and  those 
other  Mexicans  and  Americans  who  would  surely  hear 
of  the  midnight  raid  and  its  sad  ending,  and  with  a! 
savage  oath,  he  shouted  to  his  followers  to  ride  up  to 
him. 

"The  woman  was  a  fool,"  he  snarled.  "I  would 
have  given  her  money  and  jewels.  I'd  have  made  her 
Queen  of  Bandits. 

"But  there  are  other  women. 

"How  many  are  there  at  Los  Rodas,  Bepo?" 

"Three.  The  Gringo  girl  and  two  English  ones. 
But  one,  she  is  old.  She  is  the  mother." 

"We'll  take  the  two  young  ones." 

And  shaking  out  his  mount,  the  terrible  bandit, 
whose  attempt  to  gratify  his  whim  had  resulted  in  the 
death  of  one  noble  woman,  dashed  over  the  arid  plain. 

Arrived  at  the  ranch,  Villa  drew  rein. 

"Dato,  you  and  'Rico  go  to  the  shack  and  start 
shooting,"  he  commanded.  "Keep  riding  round  and 
round,  so  that  any  punchers  in  it  will  think  we  are  in 
force. 

"Use  both  your  six-shooters  and  your  rifles.  It  will 
help  fool  the  Gringos. 

"Bepo,  you  and  I  will  go  to  the  house.    The  shots 


32  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

from  the  shack  will  rouse  those  inside. 

"When  they  appear,  you  seize  your  Gringo  girl  and 
I'll  take  the  English  one. 

"If  she  resists,  knock  her  unconscious. 

"Go  to  it." 

Little  relishing  the  work,  as  they  remembered  the 
tragedy  of  the  Honora  ranch,  the  men  moved  off  to 
perform  their  parts. 

Dismounting,  Pancho  and  Bepo  went  to  the  front 
door,  then  waited  for  their  companions  to  begin  firing. 

Suddenly  the  silence  of  the  night  was  shattered  by 
the  crash  of  guns  and  wild  shouting  as  Dato  and  'Rico 
dashed  around  the  cowboys'  shack. 

"That's  great !  They'll  think  there  are  a  lot  of  us," 
chuckled  the  bandit  chieftain. 

But  the  punchers  of  the  Los  Rodas  ranch  were  to 
be  reckoned  with. 

In  a  shortness  of  time  that  surprised  even  Villa 
himself,  fire  spat  from  the  door  and  windows  of  the 
shack  as  the  cowboys  opened  upon  their  attackers. 

"Carramba !  But  we  must  get  out  of  this,"  snarled 
Pancho.  "Where  are  the  women's  quarters,  do  you 
know,  Bepo?" 

"They  are  on  the  other  side,  to  the  south." 

"Then  bring  the  horses  round."  And  the  bandit 
leader  dashed  round  the  corner  of  the  house. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  33 

As  he  reached  it,  he  saw  to  his  delight  that  lamps 
were  being  hastily  lighted. 

"There  won't  be  any  danger  of  carrying  off  the  old 
woman  instead  of  the  young  one,"  he  muttered  to 
himself. 

Springing  upon  the  wide  veranda  Pancho  crossed 
it,  kicked  in  the  window  and  leaped  into  the  room, 
six-shooters  in  each  hand. 

"Not  a  sound !"  he  hissed  as  he  beheld  three  women 
cowering  before  him.  "You  two  young  ones  come 
here." 

Outside  the  barking  of  the  guns  and  the  yelling  of 
the  bandits  and  the  cowboys  sounded  awesomely. 

But  the  women  only  cringed  in  the  corner  farthest 
from  the  wild-eyed  man  facing  them. 

"Don't  make  me  use  these  things,"  he  snarled,  mov- 
ing his  revolvers  back  and  forth.  "You  two  young 
ones  come  here." 

Just  then  Bepo  entered  through  the  broken  window. 

"Get  them,"  commanded  his  chief. 

As  the  American  girl  recognized  the  man  whose 
ears  she  had  boxed,  she  cried  out  in  fright. 

But  Bepo  only  grinned. 

Quickly  he  seized  her  about  the  waist. 

With  all  her  strength,  the  girl  raised  her  two  hands 
and  brought  them  down  full  upon  the  bandit's  nose, 
i    Like  a  fountain  the  blood  spurted. 


34  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Crazed  by  the  pain,  Bepo  nevertheless  remembered 
his  master's  instructions  and  raising  his  six-shooter, 
he  brought  it  down  upon  the  girl's  head,  dropping  her 
to  the  floor. 

"I've  got  you  now,"  he  gloated.  "You'll  not  strike 
me  again."  And  stooping  over,  he  picked  up  the 
American  girl  in  his  arms  and  carried  her  from  the 
room. 

When  they  realized  the  purpose  of  the  attack,  the 
English  women  dropped  to  their  knees  and  raised  their 
hands  in  prayer. 

"Your  God  won't  help  you  now,"  mocked  the  bandit 
chieftain.  "You'd  better  worship  a  man  who  has  two 
hands  and  can  use  them." 

And  with  a  hideous  laugh,  Pancho  seized  the  girl's 
wrists  and  jerked  her  to  her  feet. 

"Follow  me!"  he  hissed,  dragging  her  after  him  as 
he  started  for  the  window. 

"Wait!  Stop!"  wailed  the  elder  English  woman. 
"Take  my  jewels,  take  the  money,  the  silver  I  have, 
but  spare  me  my  daughter." 

And  in  her  appeal  the  woman  got  to  her  feet  and 
clutched  the  bandit's  coat. 

In  answer,  he  turned,  kicked  her  full  in  the  face, 
grabbed  his  captive  in  his  arms  and  dashed  out  into 
the  night. 

As  thej  terrible  outlaw  stepped  upon  the  veranda, 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  35 

he  met  the  superintendent  of  the  ranch,  six-shooter 
in  hand. 

"Drop  that  girl !"  thundered  the  Englishman,  at  the 
same  time  pulling  the  trigger  of  his  revolver  which  he 
aimed  at  the  maurauler's  legs  lest  he  injure  the  woman 
in  his  arms. 

It  was  a  desperate  moment  for  the  bandit  chieftain. 

But  no  shot  rang  from  the  gun. 

The  luck  which  has  led  his  followers  and  the  people 
of  Mexico  to  believe  he  has  a  charmed  life  came  to 
Villa's  aid. 

The  cylinder  of  the  superintendent's  revolver  was 
empty. 

Cursing  the  fact,  the  Englishman  shoved  a  couple 
of  cartridges  into  the  gun  and  fired. 

But  by  the  time  the  shot  rang  out,  Pancho  was  on 
his  horse,  his  captive  in  front  of  him. 

With  a  fiendish  laugh,  he  waved  his  hand  at  the 
superintendent  and  leaped  his  mount  forward. 

"Come  on !  We've  got  them !"  yelled  Villa  to  Dato 
and  'Rico  as  he  rounded  the  corner  of  the  house. 

And  as  his  men  joined  him,  he  whirled  his  mount 
and  raced  in  the  direction  of  his  cave  in  the  mountains, 
while  the  curses  and  shots  of  the  cowboys  reached 
after  him. 


36  FRANCISCO  ViUA  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  VI. 
VILLA  OUTWITS  His  PURSUERS. 

But  the  brutal  bandit  was  not  to  get  to  his  cave 
in  the  fastnesses  of  the  Sierra  Madres  unmolested. 

Even  as  the  desperate  band  rode  away,  the  English- 
man rushed  to  the  cow  punchers'  shack. 

"Into  the  saddles,  my  lads,"  he  shouted.  "The 
greasers^Jiave  carried  off  Miss  Wales  and  Betty 
Moore." 

"They'll  not  get  far  with  Betty!"  growled  one  of  the 
boys  whose  love  for  the  girl  had  made  him  the  butt  for 
the  jokes  of  all  his  fellow-punchers.  "I'll  cut  the 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  37 

heart  out  of  the  dirty  hound  who's  dared  to  lay  hand 
on  her!" 

"We'll  help !"  chorused  others  of  the  ranch  crew  who 
heard  the  vow. 

For  Betty,  who  served  as  maid  and  companion  to 
the  English  .girl,  was  a  general  favorite. 

But  even  had  she  not  been,  it  would  have  made  no 
difference,  for  she  was  an  American  girl  and  the  man 
who  had  dared  to  carry  her  off  was  a  greaser. 

Rushing  to  the  corral,  the  punchers  caught  and  sad- 
dled their  horses. 

"I'll  join  you  directly,"  said  Hastings,  the  super- 
intendent. "I  must  tell  Mrs.  Wales  we  are  going  after 
her  daughter  and  Betty." 

But  when  he  entered  the  room,  Hastings  stopped, 
abashed. 

Huddled  in  a  heap  lay  Mrs.  Wales,  blood  oozing 
from  the  cuts  in  her  face  made  by  Villa's  boot. 

"The  dirty  robbers!"  he  snarled,  Is  he  raised  the 
elderly  woman. and  carried  her  to  her  bed. 

But  the  superintendent,  realizing  that  time  was 
precious,  made  her  as  comfortable  as  he  could,  then 
rejoined  the  impatient  punchers,  three  of  whom  he  de- 
tailed to  remain  behind  to  guard  the  ranch  and  to 
assist  Mrs.  Wales. 

"They've  a  good  mile  start  of  us,"  lamented  Betty's 
lover,  Shorty,  as  Hastings  gave  the  word  to  ride. 


38  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"But  their  horses  are  fagge.d,  while  ours  are  f resn," 
returned  the  Englishman.  "Besides  two  of  them  are 
double-loaded. 

"Come  on,  lads,  we  can  catch  up  with  them  in  half 
an  hour." 

Riding  as  only  cowboys  can,  the  avenging  troop 
raced  over  the  prairie. 

As  the  pounding  of  the  hoofs  reached  Villa's  ears, 
he  cursed. 

"They'll  get  us,"  moaned  'Rico. 

"They  may  get  you  but  not  me,"  returned  the 
bandit  chieftain.  "No  Gringo,  no  Englishman,  not 
even  a  Mexican  can  kill  Francisco  Villa. 

"Didn't  you  see  how  the  Englishman  shot  at  me, 
point  blank?" 

"But  his  gun  wasn't  loaded,"  exclaimed  Bepo. 

"I  don't  care  what  the  cause,  he  didn't  get  me.  That's 
Villa  luck.  My  life  is  charmed.  Remember  that  and 
tell  every  one  you  see  about  it." 

All  the  while,  though  they  were  riding  as  hard  as 
they  could,  the  bandits  quickly  realized  that  the  pur- 
suers were  gaining  on  them. 

In  a  trice,  Pancho  made  his  plans,  for  he  was  well 
aware  that  his  prestige  would  suffer  if  his  kidnapping 
the  two  girls  was  frustrated. 

"  'Rico,  ride  close.  Take  the  girl  and  go  for  the 
cave  as  though  all  the  fiends  of  hell  were  at  your  heels. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  39 

"Bepo,  you  go  with  him. 

"Dato,  you  and  I  will  show  these  Gringos  that  it  isn't 
safe  to  trail  Pancho  Villa!  When  you  hear  us  fire, 
'Rico,  one  of  you  shoot,  too." 

As  the  commands  were  finished,  the  horses  descended 
into  a  deep  roll  ift  the  plains. 

"We'll  ride  over  here  to  the  right,"  said  the  bandit 
chieftain.  "When  the  Gringos  come  over  the  edge,  use 
your  rifle." 

At  such  a  pace  were  the  cowboys  riding  that  Villa 
and  his  man  had  barely  reached  their  positions  when 
the  punchers  dashed  over  the  top  of  the  roll. 

"Now!"  whispered  Pancho.  And  his  rifle  crashed 
even  as  he  spoke. 

An  instant  later,  Date's  rang  out. 

And  from  the  cowboys,  a  yell  of  pain  told  them 
that  one  of  their  bullets  had  found  human  flesh. 

Surprised  that  the  shots  came  from  the  right,  when 
they  thought  the  kidnappers  were  directly  ahead  of 
them,  the  pursuers  lost  no  time  in  answering  the  shots, 
yelling  and  whooping  as  they  raced  in  the  direction 
whence  they  came. 

As  they  did,  a  shot  sounded  to  the  left,  for  'Rico 
had  obeyed  his  master. 

"They've  split  up!"  cried  Hastings.  "I  wonder 
which  party  the  girls  are  with." 

"The   one   to  the   left,"   declared    Shorty.     "It's 


'40  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

farther  away  and  that  proves  these  other  greasers  are 
trying  to  draw  us  off  so  those  with  Betty  can  make 
their  getaway." 

"Jove !  I  believe  you're  right,"  exclaimed  the  Eng- 
lishman. 

"Sure  he  is !"  chorused  several  of  the  others. 

"Then  we'll  follow  in  that  direction,"  Hastings  an- 
nounced, while  Shorty  and  some  of  the  others  cursed 
the  delay  the  diversion  in. the  gully  had  caused. 

When  Villa  realized  that  his  attempt  to  draw  off  the 
pursuers  had  been  successful  only  for  the  moment,  he 
cursed  frightfully. 

"We  must  join  the  others,"  he  said  to  Dato.  "We'll 
ride  round  the  punchers'  flank." 

The  task  was  not  easy,  for  the  bandits'  horses  were 
fast  tiring,  but  J?y  dint  of  desperate  rowelling  they 
managed  to  urge  their  mounts  to  greater  speed  and 
succeeded. 

But  as  they  rejoined  Bepo  and  'Rico,  Pancho  real- 
ized that  the  effort  had  taken  the  last  power  of  their 
ponies. 

"They'll  get  us,"  wailed  Dato. 

"Cut  that!"  Pancho  snarled. 

"But  my  pony  is  slackening  up  and  the  others  will 
soon,  carrying  double." 

His  master,  however,  made  him  no  answer. 

Already  Villa  was  aware  of  the  facts  Dato  stated. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  41 

But  his  resourcefulness  which  has  so  bothered  those 
who  have  tried  'to  capture  or  trap  the  notorious  cut- 
throat, came  to  his  rescue. 

Sliding  from  his  saddle,  Pancho  wet  his  finger,  held 
it  in  the  air  only  long  enough  to  learn  that  the  wind 
came  from  the  direction  he  was  going,  then  stooped, 
lighted  a  match  and  set  the  dry  prairie  grass  on  fire. 

Bidding  Dato  start  fires  to  the  left,  Pancho  dashed 
along,  applying  the  match  every  few  rods  until  in  a 
few  minutes  there  was  a  long  wall  of  fire  rushing  upon 
the  pursuing  cowboys. 

As  the  men  from  Los  Rodas  grasped  what  the  terri- 
ble bandit  had  done,  they  shrieked  and  cursed,  firing 
wildly  in  their  fury,  out  of  range  though  they  were. 

And  in  answer,  Pancho  and  his  men  shouted 
derisively. 


42  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT, 


CHAPTER  VII. 
SHORTY  TAKES  UP  THE  TRAIL. 

As  they  saw  the  wall  of  fire  bearing  down  upon  them 
by  leaps  and  bounds,  the  cow  punchers  realized  that 
if  they  were  to  escape  with  their  lives,  they  must  ride 
like  the  wind. 

Shorty  and  Hastings  alone  stood  out  against  re- 
turning. 

"We  can  ride  through,"  protested  Betty's  lover. 

"You  can't  ride  through  hell  on  a  horse  of  flesh  and 
blood/5  declared  Big  Mike,  the  foreman.  "And  if 
anything  looks  like  my  idea  of  hell,  it's  that  leaping, 
dancing  stretch  of  flame." 

"But  it  will  be  deserting  the  girls  to  their  fate  at  the 
hands  of  those  bally  robbers,"  the  superintendent  ex- 
claimed. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  43 

"Well,  you'd  be  burned  up  if  you  tried  to  go  to 
them,  so  I  don't  see  how  they'd  be  any  better  off," 
declared  Big  Mike.  "If  we  can  outride  this  blaze  we'll 
be  able  to  start  back  after  them  when  it  dies  out." 

The  futility*'  of  trying  to  ride  through  the  fire  at 
last  struck  Shorty  and  he  headed  with  his  companions 
toward  Los  Rodas,  but  as  he  rode,  he  promised  him- 
self that  he  would  go  after  Betty  as  soon  as  he  could 
and  not  return  till  he  found  her. 

Confident  of  their  safety,  the  bandits  pulled  their 
wearied  mounts  down  to  a  walk  until  they  were  rested, 
after  which  they  made  the  cave  without  adventure. 

During  the  day,  word  ran  from  ranch  to  ranch  of 
the  death  of  Mrs.  Harkness  of  the  Honora  ranch,  and 
the  kidnapping  of  Betty  and  Miss  Wales. 

And  everywhere  there  was  a  peon  ran  the  whisper 
that  it  was  Francisco  Villa  who  led  the  raids. 

On  all  sides,  the  malcontents  and  criminals  pricked 
up  their  ears. 

Here  was  a  man  who  had  dared  to  raid  the  ranches 
of  two  of  the  most  wealthy  and  powerful  men  in  the 
State  of  Durango. 

Everywhere,  among  Rurales  and  peons,  it  was  real- 
ized that  Francisco  Villa  had  defied  the  authorities  of 
law  and  order  as  they  existed  in  Mexico,  and  that 
he  had,  of  his  own  free  will  and  because  of  the  im- 
pulsiveness of  his  nature,  placed  himself  as  a  warrior 


44  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

against  the  then  constituted  authorities. 

The  lawless  element  rejoiced.  Under  such  a  leader, 
whose  resourcefulness  was  shown  in  the  way  he  had 
blocked  his  pursuers  by  firing  the  prairie,  they  realized 
that  pickings  would  be  fat. 

I  Accordingly  many  a  man  saddled  his  pony  and  set 
'out  to  join  thq  man,  the  man  who  had  shot  a  sheriff 
and  followed  the  act  on  the  next  night  by  stealing 
$2500,  and  within  a  few  days  by  kidnapping  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  powerful  land  owner. 

But  they  soon  found  it  was  one  thing  to  wish  to 
join  the  bandit  and  quite  another  to  know  where  to 
find  him. 

The  most  crafty  inquiries  failed  to  develop  his 
whereabouts. 

Beyond  the  fact  that  he  was  known  to  have  been 
riding  toward  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains  w,ith  the 
girls  he  had  captured,  nothing  definite  could  be  ascer- 
tained— and  there  were  countless  fastnesses  in  the 
mountain  range  where  the  most  daring  outlaw  Mexico 
had  ever  known  might  hide. 

But  the  criminals  who  wished  to  proclaim  him  as 
their  leader  were  not  the  only  ones  who  sought  him. 

As  the  reports  of  his  raids,  with  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Harkness,  and  the  owner  of  the  Ronda  ranch,  and  the 
kidnapping  of  the  women  from  Los  Rodas  were  re- 
ceived by  the  authorities,  the  commander  of  the 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  45 

Rurales  in  the  State  of  Durango  grew  furious. 

Ordering  the  captain  before  him,  General  Hoda 
exclaimed : 

"You  must  capture  this  murderer.  Take  fifty  men 
and  go  after  him.  If  they  are  not  enough,  call  on  me 
for  more.  Villa  must  be  rounded  up." 

Aware,  from  the  very  daring  the  bandit  had  dis- 
played in  executing  his  raids,  that  he  had  no  easy  task 
before  him,  Don  Sebastian  Gomez,  captain  of  the 
Rurales,  picked  fifty  of  his  best  men  from  his  com- 
mand and  set  out  upon  his  mission — a  mission  that 
engaged  not  only  him  but  the  Rurales  of  other  States 
than  Durango  for  fifteen  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
they  saw  the  man  they  had  hunted  elevated  to  a 
military  command  in  the  forces  of  the  revolutionary 
leader,  Francisco  Madero,  and  later  win  his  way  among 
the  masses  of  peons  and  military  men  alike  to  the  rank 
of  a  national  hero. 

But  while  the  authorities  were  moving  to  compass 
his  capture,  Villa  was  planning  new  depredations. 

The  results  of  his  raid,  considered  successes  from 
his  point  of  view,  made  him  eager  to  attempt  greater 
crimes. 

"They  have  nicknamed  me  The  Tiger/  "  he  said  to 
his  three  companions,  "so  I  am  going  to  let  them  feel 
my  teeth. 

"The  first  thing  we  need  is  more  men.    In  order 


46  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

to  carry  out  my  plans,  we  four  are  not  enough. 

"I  have  no  doubt  the  Rurales  are  already  on  my 
trail.  If  we  meet  them,  we  must  be  able  to  over- 
power them.  They  do  not  travel  in  twos  or  threes 
when  hunting  a  man  like  me. 

"Therefore  we  must  increase  our  numbers.  Do  any 
of  you  know  a  man  who  can  be  trusted  ?" 

Thus  appealed  to,  his  companions  quickly  named  a 
score  or  more  of  peons  whom  they  knew  would  be 
only  to  glad  to  join  such  a  leader. 

"We  don't  want  as  many  as  that,"  Villa  returned. 
"It  is  easier  to  strike  and  get  away  with  nine  or  ten 
men  than  it  is  with  twenty. 

"When  we  are  rested  we  will  set  out  and  talk  with 
your  friends." 

Before  this  time  came,  however,  the  bandits  were 
made  aware  that  the  retreat  in  which  they  thought  they 
would  be  safe  was  not  known  to  themselves  alone. 

Thinking  only  of  rescuing  the  girl  of  his  heart 
from  the  hated  greaser  bandits,  no  sooner  had  Shorty 
returned  to  Los  Rodas  after  escaping  from  the  prairie 
fire  than  he  determined  to  take  up  the  pursuit. 

"I  know  this  Francisco  Villa,"  he  told  the  other 
punchers.  "That  is,  I  mean  I've  seen  him.  He's  a 
half  breed  and  so  in  love  with  himself  that  there  is 
nothing  he  would  not  think  he  can  do. 

"But  he's  a  greaser — and  therefore  a  bluffer. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  47 

"I'm  going  to  get  him.  Anybody  want  to  go  with 
me?' 

"You  don't  even  know  where  he  is,"  protested  Big 
Mike.  "What's  the  use  of  wasting  your  time  and 
probably  losing  your  life  in  hunting  him  ?  The  Rurales 
are  already  on  his  trail.  Better  leave  it  to  them." 

"But  Betty,  think  of  her,"  exclaimed  the  cowboy. 

"I  don't  like  to,"  answered  the  foreman. 

"Nor  I — and  that's  why  I'm  going  to  rescue  her,"' 
Shorty  returned,  and  went  away  from  the  shack  in 
front  of  which  he  and  the  other  punchers  had  been 
talking  to  the  corral. 

Quickly  selecting  his  pony,  the  cowboy  lover  saddled 
and  bridled  him. 

"Anybody  going  with  me?"  he  asked  as  he  rode 
from  the  corral. 

Uneasily  the  other  punchers  shifted  from  one  foot 
to  another. 

"Can't  spare  'em,"  Big  Mike  finally  said.  "Of 
course,  with  you  it's  different.  You've  been  sweet  on 
Betty  ever  since  you  came  to  Los  Rodas.  If  you  want 
to  go  after  her,  I  won't  stop  you — and  I  don't  blame 
you.  But  I  can't  spare  the  other  boys,  with  the 
round-up  coming  on." 

For  several  moments,  Shorty  looked  at  the  men  with 
whom  he  had  shared  the  trials  and  joys  of  the  ranch 
fife. 


48  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

None  of  them,  however,  volunteered  to  accompany 
him. 

With  a  snort  of  disgust,  Shorty  gathered  up  his 
reins. 

"You're  a  fine  bunch  of  huskies,"  he  exclaimed. 
"Bad  as  I  hate  the  greasers,  I  think  I'd  rather  have 
them  for  friends  than  you." 

Ard  digging  his  spurs  into  his  pony,  the  cowboy 
galloped  from  Los  Rodas. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

THE  TORTURE. 

Confident  that  the  kidnappers  of  his  sweetheart  had 
sought  safety  in  the  mountains,  Shorty  rode  straight 
for  them. 

It  was  not  long  before  he  met  some  of  the  Mexicans 
who  were  also  seeking  the  daring  bandit,  but  from 
entirely  different  motives. 

Coming  upon  a  group  sitting  about  a  camp-fire  just 
at  sunset,  the  cowboy  drew  rein. 

"What  do  you  want?"  demanded  one  of  the  Mexi- 
cans, while  they  all  eyed  him  with  suspicion. 

"I'm  looking  for  a  friend,"  Shorty  lied. 

"Well,  he's  not  with  us,"  snapped  the  man. 

"So  I  see,"  the  cowboy  returned.  Tin  sorry*  I've 
ridden  hard.  Are  you  Rurales?" 


50  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

The  question  was  needless,  for  the  men  did  not 
wear  the  uniform  of  the  mounted  police  of  Mexico 
and  Shorty  knew  it,  but  he  thought  he  might  gain  their 
confidence  by  seeming  ignorant. 

His  question  was  greeted  with  roars  of  laughter. 

"Well,  hardly !"  said  the  spokesman  at  last. 

"I'm  glad,"  said  Shorty,  dismounting. 

Unconcernedly  he  seated  himself  at  the  fire,  and  in  a 
littFe  while  he  had  declared  himself  an  outlaw  who, 
attracted  by  the  daring  of  Villa's  raids,  was  determined 
to  join  him. 

"That's  what  we're  going  to  do,"  said  one  of  the 
Mexicans. 

"Know  where  he  is?"  Shorty  asked,  with  all  the 
disinterestedness  he  could  assume. 

"In  the  Sierras,  of  course.  And  I  think  he's  in  a 
cave  near  the  head  of  the  great  pass,"  declared  one 
of  the  men. 

This  statement  brought  on  a  discussion  among  the 
others,  each  of  whom  held  a  different  opinion  as  to 
the  bandit's  whereabouts. 

Closely  Shorty  listened  to  all  they  said,  fixing  in 
his  mind  the  various  retreats  they  mentioned. 

When  at  last  the  Mexicans  made  ready  to  sleep, 
the  cowboy  got  up. 

"Where  going?"  called  one  of  them. 

"To  join  Panoho." 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  51 

"Why  not  wait  till  morning?" 

"Because  the  sooner  I  find  him,  the  safer  I  shall 
feel,"  and  saddling,  Shorty  rode  away. 

Early  the  next  morning  he  was  riding  up  the  trail 
which  led  to  the  cave  by  the  great  pass  when  a  bullet 
whistled  close  to  his  head. 

Dato,  who  had  arisen  early,  had  discovered  the  lone 
horseman  advancing  toward  his  master's  retreat  and 
deemed  it  wise  to  find  out  who  he  was. 

Drawing  rein,  tS  the  bullet  sped  past  his  head, 
Shorty  looked  about  him. 

"Hands  up!"  shouted  Dato,  appearing  from  behind 
a  rock  at  the  head  of  the  trail. 

Quickly  the  cowboy  obeyed. 

"What  do  you  want?"  demanded  the  bandit. 

"To  find  Pancho,  The  Tiger." 

"Why?" 

"Because  I  want  to  ride  with  him." 

The  sound  of  the  shot  had  aroused  the  bandit  leader 
and  as  Dato  was  questioning  the  cowboy,  he  appeared 
upon  the  scene. 

"What  is  it?"  Villa  inquired. 

"This  Gringo  wants  to  join  The  Tiger,"  Dato  re- 
plied. 

"Why?"  asked  Villa,  coming  close  to  Shorty. 

"Because  you're  a  man  after  my  own  heart,"  the 
cowboy  replied. 


52  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

The  praise  flattered  The  Tiger  and  he  smiled. 

"Come  up  to  the  cave,"  he  exclaimed,  and  waiting 
till  Shorty  was  in  front  of  him,  he  followed. 

Elated  at  his  success  in  locating  the  bandit  who 
had  carried  off  his  sweetheart,  Shorty  was  busy  map- 
ping out  a  story  that  would  assure  Villa  of  his  willing- 
ness to  ride  with  him  when  they  reached  the  cave. 

Bidding  the  cowboy  dismount,  Pancho  squatted  and 
signed  Shorty  to  do  so. 

Keenly  Villa  questioned  him,  and  the  cowboy  was 
apparently  giving  satisfactory  answers  when  a 
woman's  shriek  broke  on  their  ears. 

Instantly  Shorty  recognized  Betty's  voice  and  the 
thought  that  she  was  being  subjected  to  treatment 
that  caused  her  to  cry  out  filled  him  with  fury. 

"What's  that?"  he  demanded,  springing  to  his  feet. 

"Nothing  but  Bepo  making  love  to  the  Americano 
we  brought  from  Los  Rodas,"  returned  Villa. 

"But  why  should  she  cry  out  ?"  pursued  the  cowboy. 

In  answer  the  bandit  chieftain  merely  shrugged  his 
shoulders. 

"But  do  you  allow  your  men  to  treat  their  captives 
so?"  demanded  Shorty. 

Again  The  Tiger  shrugged  his  shoulders,  adding, 
"It  is  none  of  our  business,  anyhow." 

Wild  at  the  thoughts  which  surged  through  his 
nrind,  the  cowboy  was  on  the  point  of  trying  to 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  53 

his  gun,  when  more  shrieks  came  from  the  cave. 

Turning,  both  men  saw  a  woman  dart  from  its  en- 
trance closely  pursued  by  a  Mexican  with  a  whip. 

It  was  Betty. 

Straight  toward  the  two  by  the  rock  she  came. 

Suddenly  she  recognized  the  cowboy. 

"Oh,  Shorty,  save  me !  Save  me !"  she  wailed,  rush- 
ing to  him. 

Ere  the  cowboy  could  move,  The  Tiger  was  on 
Jiis  feet,  a  six-shooter  in  each  hand. 

His  face  was  distorted  with  fury  and  his  eyes 
blazed. 

"So  you  are  a  friend  of  the  Gringo  girl?  You 
would  trick  The  Tiger,  would  you  ?"  hissed  Villa,  with 
a  volley  of  oaths.  "It  was  a  sorry  day  for  you  when 
you  came  to  his  lair. 

"Hand  me  your  gun." 

By  this  time  Bepo  had  his  hands  upon  Betty. 

Burning,  she  struck  him  full  in  the  face. 

Cursing  frightfully,  the  Mexican  brought  the  butt 
of  his  whip  down  on  her  head,  felling  her. 

Heedless  of  consequences,  Shorty  leaped  at  Bepo, 
arm  upraised. 

Instantly  a  pistol  spoke  and  the  cowboy's  arm 
'dropped. 

"Take  the  girl  back  to  the  cave,  Bepo,"  Pancho  com- 
manded. "Send  'Rico  and  Dato  to  me." 


54  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT; 

Stooping  Bepo  touched  Betty. 

"Don't  take  me  back— kill  me  first !"  she  pleaded. 

"Quick,  take  her  away,"  thundered  Villa,  then 
called,  "'Rico!  Dato!" 

Struggling  every  inch  of  the  way,  the  girl  was 
dragged  into  the  cave  by  Bepo,  while  Shorty,  held 
motionless  by  The  Tiger's  six-shooter,  was  compelled 
to  look  on. 

Quickly  the  two  men  he  had  summoned  joined  the 
bandit. 

"Take  this  man  down  to  the  camp-fire,"  he  com- 
manded. "Ill  be  there  directly." 

And  as  the  greasers  led  Shorty  away  Villa  entered 
the  cave. 

In  a  moment  he  reappeared,  carrying  an  iron  bar. 

Going  to  the  camp-fire,  he  thrust  it  into  the  coals. 

"Take  off  his  shirt,"  snapped  The  Tiger,  pointing 
to  the  cowboy. 

This  done,  the  four  waited  while  Villa  tested  the 
heat  of  the  iron  bar. 

At  last  it  satisfied  him. 

Raising  it,  he  laid  it  full  length  across  Shorty's 
back. 

Again  and  again,  he  repeated  the  terrible  torture, 
till  at  last  the  cowboy,  unable  longer  to  bear  the  awful 
pain,  swooned  and  fell  to  the  ground. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  55 

"Now  saddle  up,"  ordered  the  Tiger.  "We'll  take 
this  Gringo  back  to  Los  Rodas. 

"Perhaps  it  will  serve  as  a  warning  to  other  white- 
faced  Americano  or  English  pigs  that  they  cannot 
capture  Francisco  Villa  single-handed,  and  that  it  is 
dangerous  to  come  to  his  retreat." 


56  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  IX. 
THE  CATTLE  DRIVE. 

It  was  dark  when  The  Tiger  with  his  companions 
and  the  man  he  had  tortured  so  fiendishly  arrived  at 
the  Los  Rodas  ranch. 

Lights  in  the  cow  punchers'  shack  told  the  bandit 
leader  that  the  men  were  at  home.  And  when  he  got 
closer  to  the  ranch,  the  odor  told  him  that  the  cattle 
were  also  there. 

With  this  discovery,  his  spirits  rose. 

Calling  his  three  companions  to  him,  he  exclaimed: 

"They  say  lightning  never  strikes  twice  in  the  same 
place— but  The  Tiger  does. 

"The  Los  Rodas  cattle  have  bean  driven  in  from  the 
rouad-up.  There  are  no  fatter  or  better  blooded 


FRANCISCO  VIELA,  BANDIT  S? 

cattle  in  Durango.    They  will  bring  a  fancy  price. 

"We  need  the  money  more  than  the  white-faced  pig, 
SVales. 

"When  we  leave  Los  Rodas,  we  will  take  the*  cattle 
yri.th  us." 

The  boldness  of  the  plan  amazed  the  three  other 
bandits. 

"But  the  punchers  will  all  be  home  if  the  cattle  are. 
We  can  never  get  away  with  them.  Better  wait  till 
they  are  out  on  the  range  again,"  cautioned  'Rico. 

"I  have  said  we  would  take  the  cattle  with  us,"  re- 
turned Villa,  "That  ends  it." 

"But  the  punchers,"  repeated  'Rico. 

"They  were  here  when  we  carried  off  the  women. 
They  are  not  to  be  feared,"  snapped  the  leader,  and 
again  rode  ahead. 

He  was,  however,  too  awake  to  the  danger  of  his 
purpose  not  to  move  with  extreme  caution,  and  when 
they  were  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  ranch 
house  ne  halted. 

Swinging  the  tightly  bound  and  gagged  cowboy  from 
the  horse  on  which  he  had  ridden,  to  his  own,  Villa 
bade  his  companions  await  him. 

"If  you  hear  any  shooting,  ride  it,  he  whispered. 
"Otherwise  stay  here  till  I  return." 

With  utmost  caution  the  bandit  chieftain  advanced 
upon  the  ranch  house. 


58  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

When  a  hundred  feet  away,  he  halted. 

Shouts  and  laughter  from  the  shack  told  him  that 
the  punchers  were  gambling,  and  he  smiled,  realizing 
that  their  attention  was  riveted  upon  their  game. 

In  the  home  house  there  was  neither  sound  nor 
light. 

Dismounting,  Pancho  lifted  his  victim  to  the  ground, 
where  he  securely  bound  his  feet. 

Then,  picking  him  up,  he  made  his  way  stealthily, 
with  all  the  craft  of  the  tiger  whose  name  he  had  been 
given;  he  approached  the  veranda. 

Mounting  it,  he  placed  Shorty's  body  in  front  of 
the  door  in  such  a  way  that  any  one  coming  out  would 
trip  over  it. 

Turning,  he  shook  his  fist  at  the  ranch  house,  went 
back  to  his  horse,  mounted  and  quickly  rejoined  the 
men  who  were  anxiously  awaiting  him. 

"Now  for  the  cattle,"  he  whispered. 

"You  men  know  how  to  ride  them.  Dato  and  I  will 
take  the  rear,  Bepo,  you  ride  the  right  flank,  'Rico 
the  left. 

"We'll  drive  them  through  the  Arondo  pass  to 
market. 

"If  the  punchers  attack  us,  I  will  stand  them  off 
and  you,  Dato,  will  ride  the  rear  alone. 

"Should  I  be  obliged  to  separate  from  you,  drive 
bard.  Don't  be  afraid  of  running  off  any  flesh.  We 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  59 

can  rest  the  cattle  in  the  Hontos  plateau  before  taking 
them  to  market. 

"Ready." 

But  when  the  bandits  came  upon  the  cattle,  they 
were  disappointed. 

Instead  of  the  big  herd  they  had  hoped  to  find, 
there  were  not  more  than  a  hundred. 

"A  stray  bunch  picked  up,"  snarled  Villa.  "How- 
ever, the  fewer  the  easier  to  drive  and  even  a  hundred 
of  the  Los  Rodas  cattle  are  worth  money. 

"When  you  and  'Rico  have  taken  your  positions, 
whistle  Bepo.  Now  go." 

Ears  alert  for  any  sound  of  discovery  from  ranch 
house  or  shack,  The  Tiger  and  Dato  awaited  the 
signal. 

All  at  once,  a  light  flashed  from  the  door  of  the 
ranch  house,  followed  by  a  shout  as  the  body  of 
Shorty  was  found. 

The  cry  reached  the  ears  of  the  punchers  in  the 
shack,  as  well  as  the  bandits,  and  they  streamed  from 
the  door. 

"They've  brought  Shorty  back,"  shouted  the  super- 
intendent of  the  ranch,  who  had  discovered  the  bound 
and  gagged  cowboy. 

Instantly  the  punchers  ran  to  the  veranda. 

"The  fiends!"  snarled  Big  Mike,  as  they  beheld  the 
terrible  wounds  on  Shorty's  back.  "Round-up  or  no 


60  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

round-up,  we'll  go  after  The  Tiger.  The  nerve  of 
him  bringing  Shorty  to  us  again." 

In  the  momentary  lull  which  followed  the  foreman's 
words  there  rang  out  two  whistles,  the  signal?  from, 
'Rico  and  Bepo  to  their  master. 

"What's  that?"  chorused  several  of  the  cow 
punchers. 

And  their  answer  came  in  the  snorting  and  lowing 
of  the  cattle  as  the  bandits  jumped  them  into  running. 

"The  dirty  greasers  are  after  the  two-year  olds," 
Big  Mike  cried.  "Quick!  every  mother's  son  of  you. 
Get  your  guns  and  horses.  By  heaven,  this  is  too 
much." 

Away  raced  the  cowboys  to  prepare  themselves,  and 
to  their  ears  came  the  thunder  of  hoofs  as  the  cattle 
were  rushed  along. 

In  remarkably  short  time,  the  boys  of  Los  Rodas 
were  in  pursuit. 

"I  see  them!  I  see  the  dirty  devils,"  shouted  one 
of  the  punchers,  and  instantly  he  opened  fire. 

Quickly  the  others  followed  suit,  and  a  veritable 
rain  of  lead  was  poured  at  the  bobbing  figures  of  the 
horsemen  with  the  cattle. 

Though  the  discovery  and  pursuit  had  come  sooner 
than  he  expected,  Villa  was,  as  ever,  equal  to  the 
emergency. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  61 

"You  go  through  with  the  cattle,  Dato,"  he  com- 
manded. 

"I  will  draw  the  punchers  off. 

"By  riding  hard,  you  should  make  the  mountains 
by  sunrise. 

"I'll  meet  you  at  the  Hondas  plateau  some  time  to- 
morrow." 

As  he  spoke,  The  Tiger  whirled  his  horse,  stood 
up  in  his  stirrups  and  rode  at  right  angles  to  the 
course  the  cattle  were  being  driven. 

Quickly  there  came  a  lull  in  the  shots  from  the 
punchers  as  they  reloaded  their  rifles. 

Taking  advantage  of  it,  Villa  again  whirled  his 
horse  and  rode  straight  at  his  pursuers. 

"Come  on,  you  pale-faced  pigs !"  he  yelled.  "Come 
on  if  you  think  you  can  catch  The  Tiger. 

"But  you  never  will.  It  makes  no  difference  if 
you  are  one  or  a  hundred.  I,  Francisco  Villa,  am  your 
match." 

And  as  he  ended  his  maddening  taunt,  the  bandit 
emptied  the  magazine  of  his  rifle  into  the  ranks  of 
his  pursuers. 

Crazed  by  his  words,  the  cow  punchers  whirled  in 
his  direction,  yelling  and  shouting  as  they  gave  chase. 

"Never  mind  the  cattle,  get  that  Mexican  devil!" 
shouted  Big  Mike.  "We  can  pick  up  the  cattle  after 
we  get  him." 


62  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"Yes,  after  you  get  him"  The  Tiger  shouted  back 
in  derision,  "But  if  you  wait  till  then,  the  cattle 
will  be  dead." 

Despite  his  bravado,  the  bandit  leader  was  no  fool, 
however,  and,  realizing  that  a  chance  bullet  might 
find  him,  he  clapped  his  spurs  to  his  mount  and  raced 
in  the  direction  away  from  the  cattle,  the  cowboys 
in  full  cry  after  him,  their  bullets  whistling  on  all 
sides  of  him. 


FRANCISCO  XILLA,  BANDIH 


CHAPTER  X. 
VILLA  OUTWITS  His  PURSUERS. 

Fortunately  for  the  bandit  chieftain,  the  horse  on 
which  he  was  mounted  was  a  thoroughbred,  and  good 
though  the  ponies  were  on  which  the  pursuing  cow- 
boys rode,  The  Tiger  was  soon  carried  out  of  range 
of  their  rifles. 

As  they  realized  the  fact  that  their  bullets  were 
falling  short  of  the  man  they  so  desired  to  catch,  the 
cow  punchers  ceased  firing  and  devoted  all  their  atten- 
tion to  getting  every  possible  ounce  of  speed  out  of 
their  pintoes.' 

Aware  that  while  he  might  keep  a  safe  distance 
ahead  of  the  men  from  Los  Rodas  that  he  could  not 
hope  to  shake  them  off,  Villa  determined  to  try  a 
change  in  direction. 

The  night  had  been  starlit,  with  occasional  clouds, 


64  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

but  the  resultant  darkness  had  been  a  sufficient  cloak 
for  the  daring  raid  of  the  bandits. 

But  just  as  Villa  turned  his  course,  the  moon  came 
out. 

That  by  its  light  they  discovered  the  whereabouts 
of  the  outlaw  was  evident  by  the  shouts  which  rose 
from  the  throats  of  the  cowboys,  some  of  whom,  in 
their  delight  at  having  their  quarry  in  sight,  blazed 
away  with  their  rifles  despite  the  fact  that  the  aict 
was  but  a  waste  of  ammunition. 

Recking  little  that  he  had  been  located,  so  confident 
was  he  in  the  ability  of  his  mount  to  outrun  the  cow 
horses,  Villa  raced  over  the  prairie  which  now  glistened 
like  a  vast  silver  lake  on  all  sides  of  him. 

And  as  he  rode,  he  thought  as  to  what  part  of  the 
mountains  he  should  enter. 

As  his  mind  was  thus  engrossed,  he  did  not  notice 
the  dark  specks  which  appeared  on  his  right. 

Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  lone  horseman  and  this 
second  group  of  riders  together,  and  still  the  bandit 
chieftain  did  not  notice  it. 

Suddenly  a  shot  rang  out — and  The  Tiger's  pointed 
sombrero  sailed  from  his  head. 

"Madre  di  Dios!  but  I  am  glad  my  head  is  no 
taller !"  he  exclaimed.  "That  hat  will  cost  somebody  a 
lot  of  money.  I  wonder  who  this  new  crowd  are." 

The  shot,  however,  told  him  that  they  were  enemies, 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  65 

thus  making  his  situation  more  difficult,  for  the  new- 
comers were  in  such  a  position  that,  if  their  horses 
were  mettlesome,  they  could  ride  in  between  him  and 
the  mountains,  and  cut  him  off  from  his  retreat. 

The  shot  also  told  the  pursuing  cowboys  that  they 
were  to  have  aid  in  rounding  up  The  Tiger,  and  they 
shouted  and  yelled  in  their  delight. 

"Who  do  you  suppose  they  are?"  asked  one  of  the 
punchers. 

"Rurales,"  returned  Big  Mike. 

"But  Mexicans  don't  hunt  at  night,  they  prefer  to 
sleep/''  declared  another. 

"They'll  hunt  night  and  day  for  Villa,"  said  the 
foreman.  "Mr.  Wales  and  Bob  Harkness  are  personal 
friends  of  President  Diaz  and  they've  made  the  wires 
hum  to  Mexico  City  since  the  cutthroat  raided  their 
ranches. 

"Just  the  same,  I  bet  the  Rurales  never  get  him," 
declared  the  first  cow  puncher. 

"It  looks  as  though  we  had  him  now,"  returned 
Big  Mike.  "Hello,  what's  The  Tiger  up  to  ?" 

The  foreman's  words  drew  the  attention  of  the  cow- 
boys again  to  the  lone  horseman. 

Villa  had  realized  that  with  two  bands  of  pursuers 
right  at  his  heels,  he  could  never  hope  to  raach  any 
of  the  passes  by  which  alone  the  Sierra  Madre  Moun- 
Jains  could  be  travelled.  And  with  this  realization,  he 


66  FfiXNClgeO  VILCA,  BANDIT 

had  determined  upon  a  desperate  course. 

Only  his  sublime  belief  in  himself  could  have 
achieved  it.  But  no  sooner  had  it  come  into  his  mind 
than  he  took  it. 

Taking  advantage  of  a  roll  in  the  plains,  he  rode 
with  might  and  main  along  it,  then  turned  again  and 
headed  straight  for  Los  Rodas. 

His  detour  was  so  wide  that  as  he  rose  again  from 
the  roll,  his  figure  would  have  been  scarcely  dis- 
cernible had  his  pursuers  been  looking  for  him.  But 
they  were  ignorant  of  his  latest  move  and,  though  he 
saw  them  riding  in  the  direction  he  had  once  been 
taking,  they  did  not  see  him. 

Easing  his  thoroughbred  when  he  knew  that  he  was 
no  longer  being  chased  by  the  cow  punchers  and 
Rurales,  the  fearless  bandit  rode  leisurely  toward  Los 
Rodas. 

The  silence  of  the  tomb  was  upon  the  ranch  when 
he  arrived. 

Chuckling  at  the  ease  with  which  he  had  thrown  off 
pursuit,  Villa  proceeded  to  carry  out  the  plan  he  had 
formulated  during  his  long  ride. 

Dismounting,  he  went  to  the  wood  shed  and  gathered 
a  big  bunch  of  dried  chips. 

These  he  placed  about  the  ranch  house,  then  re- 
turned to  the  shed,  where  he  gathered  more  chips, 
which  he  piled  about  the  cowboys'  shack. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  67 

This  done,  he  stealthily  entered  the  cooking  room 
and  found  the  kerosene  can. 

With  it  he  soaked  the  various  heaps  of  chips. 

When  all  had  been  saturated  with  the  oil,  he  re- 
turned to  the  home  house  and,  little  caring  whether 
any  one  was  within,  applied  matches  to  each  pile  of 
the  inflammable  material. 

As  though  inspired  by  the  same  hatred  which  he 
bore  for  pale-faced  pigs,  the  flames  leaped  up  and 
attacked  the  shingles  with  which  the  ranch  house  was 
covered. 

Pausing  only  to  see  that  each  pile  of  chips  was 
doing  the  duty  he  had  assigned  it,  The  Tiger  hurried 
to  fire  the  shack. 

As  the  flames  leaped  high  in  the  air  he  laughed. 

"They'll  learn  better  than  to  try  to  hunt  Francisco 
Villa  to  his  lair,"  he  exclaimed  aloud.  "I  only  hope  the 
men  who  were  trailing  me  see  the  blaze." 

For  many  minutes,  the  daring  bandit  watched  the 
buildings  burn,  but  he  was  ever  mindful  of  the  cattle 
which  had  been  driven  away,  and  at  last  he  decided 
to  join  his  companions. 

His  thoroughbred,  however,  was  sorely  spent  by  the 
hard  rides  to  which  the  outlaw  had  subjected  him, 
and  as  Pancho  looked  him  over,  he  shook  his  head. 

"You're  not  good  for  many  more  miles  tonight,  boy," 
he  said.  Then  suddenly  he  remembered  that  in  the 


68  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

corral  was  the  best-blooded  stallion  in  the  State  of 
Durango. 

"Fair  exchange  is  no  robbery,"  he  said  to  himself. 
"I  may  be  many  things  but  I  am  not  a  horse  thief/* 

But  his  mind  was  made  up  to  take  the  stallion, 
nevertheless. 

So  leading  his  own  mount,  he  made  his  way  to  the 
horse  corral. 

Arrived  there  it  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  minutes 
to  unsaddle  his  thoroughbred  and  saddle  the  stallion. 

The  latter  task,  however,  to  a  man  less  proficient 
in  the  handling  of  horses  would  have  been  an  im- 
possible task. 

But  Villa  knew  horse  flesh  almost  as  well  as  he 
•did  his  own  soul,  and  despite  the  stallion's  cavortings, 
he  swung  into  the  saddle  and  rode  from  the  corral. 

As  he  emerged,  he  saw  the  aged  woman  he  had 
kicked  in  the  face  when  he  had  kidnapped  Betty  and 
Miss  Wales  rushing  about  the  burning  buildings, 
wringing  her  hands. 

"When  the  white-faced  pigs  get  back,  tell  them  they 
had  better  stay  home  instead  of  trying  to  ride  down 
The  Tiger,"  he  shouted  as  he  galloped  by  her. 

At  the  sound  of  the  voice,  Miss  Wales  turned  and 
caught  sight  of  the  bandit. 

"God  will  punish  you !"  she  cried. 

But  Villa  only  laughed. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT*  69 

"You'd  better  place  your  faith  in  men  who  can  do 
things,"  he  shouted  back  and  rode  out  onto  the  plains. 


CHAPTER  XL 
THE  TIGER  RECRUITS  His  BAND. 

Caring  naught  for  the  ruin  he  had  wrought,  the 
bandit  galloped  over  the  prairie  revelling  in  the  power 
of  the  horse  under  him. 

Hard  he  rode  over  the  course  his  men  had  driven 
the  cattle  and  a  little  after  sunrise  he  caught  up  with 
them. 

Pausing  only  long  enough  to  allow  the  cattle  a 
breathing  spell,  Villa  assisted  in  their  drive  to  the 
Hontas  plateau. 

"We'll  let  them  graze  here,"  he  announced  as  they 
reached  the  broad  expanse  in  the  Sierras.  "They'll 
be  safe  for  a  day,  at  least. 

"What  I  want  is  more  men." 


70  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

His  companions,  realizing  as  never  before  the 
desperateness  of  the  life  upon  which  they  had  entered, 
only  suggested  the  names  of  two  or  three  peons  who 
had  earned  the  title  of  "bad  men,"  instead  of  the 
many  they  had  mentioned  when  asked  before. 

-"Lead  me  to  them,"  commanded  the  bandit.  "The 
Rurales  will  be  upon  us  in  force  before  many  days— 
and  I  would  rather  be  captured  or  shot  by  one  of  the 
white-faced  Americano  pigs  than  by  one  of  them. 

"We'll  eat  and  then  we'll  look  over  your  friends." 

During  the  meal  The  Tiger  related  the  story  of  his 
escape  from  the  two  bands  of  pursuers  and  the  burn- 
ing of  the  Los  Rodas  ranch  buildings, 

"That  means  the  Los  Rodas  cow  punchers  will 
hang  to  our  trail  till  we  either  get  them  or  they  get  us," 
declared  Dato. 

"Let  them,"  returned  his  master.  "The  more  the 
merrier.  I'm  going  to  make  the  land  owners  and 
rich  men  in  Mexico  sit  up  and  take  notice." 

Suddenly  'Rico  sat  erect. 

"I  wonder  if  that  Shorty  will  lead  the  Los  Rodas 
boys  to  the  cave  where  the  women  are  ?"  he  exclaimed. 

"I  never  thought  of  that,"  Villa  returned.  "You 
and  Bepo  had  better  ride  over  there.  Take  the  girls 
and  bring  them  to  the  bear  cave. 

"Dato  and  I  can  pick  up  enough  men." 

Accordingly   when   the   bandits   set   out,   the  two 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  71 

former  headed  for  the  cave  by  the  great  pass,  while 
the  two  latter  rode  toward  Casas  Grandes. 

As  they  neared  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  Villa 
drew  rein. 

"Some  one  coming,"  he  whispered  to  Dato,  and 
jumped  his  stallion  into  the  brush  beside  the  trail, 
where  his  man  followed. 

With  guns  ready  for  instant  use  the  two  bandits 
waited. 

Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  ring  of  hoof  beats  on 
the  rocky  trail,  and  soon  six  riders  appeared. 

"They're  not  Rurales,"  whispered  Dato,  "and  they're 
not  Gringos.  What  do  you  suppose  they  want?" 

"We'll  find  out,"  returned  his  chief,  and  then  with- 
out showing  himself,  he  shouted: 

"Halt— and  hands  up!" 

Startled  at  the  suddenness  of  this  command  the 
riders  drew  rein,  looking  about  to  discover  the  utterer. 

But  none  of  them  raised  their  hands. 

Suddenly  six  shots  rang  out — and  six  hats  sailed 
from  the  heads  of  their  wearers. 

And  almost  before  the  last  pointed  sombrero  had 
dropped,  Villa  yelled: 

"I  said  'hands  up'— so  be  lively!" 

Terrified  both  by  the  command  and  the  warning 
shots,  five  of  the  horsemen  thrust  their  hands  over 
their  heads. 


72  FHANCISCO  VILL4,  BANDIT 

"Come  you,  up  with  yours,  too*"  called  The  Tiger 
to  the  sixth  rider. 

But  instead  of  complying,  the  fellow  whipped  out 
his  gun. 

Ere  he  could  use  it,  however,  a  bullet  jerked  it  from 
his  hand. 

"Now  put  them  up,"  said  the  bandit  chieftain,  and 
the  man  slowly  obeyed. 

"What  do  you  want  and  who  are  you?"  demanded 
yilla. 

"We're  looking  for  The  Tiger,"  returned  the  man 
at  the  head  of  the  line. 

"Why?" 

''Because  we  want  to  join  him/* 

':Is  that  so?" 

c*Yes,  I  swear  it  by  the  head  of  my  motner,* 

In  turn  Villa  asked  each  of  the  other  five  the  same 
questions  and  received  the  same  answers., 

"Well,  here's  The  Tiger,"  cried  Villa,  leaping  his 
stallion  into  the  trail. 

At  the  sight  of  the  man  who  had  wrought  suck 
havoc  in  so  short  a  time,  the  strange  horsemen  gasped 
with  amazement. 

Enjoying  the  effect  of  his  startling  appearance,  The 
Tiger  looked  the  men  over  carefully. 

"There'll  only  one  of  you  do,"  he  finally  declared, 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  7g 

"and  he's  the  one  who  drew  his  gun  instead  of  putting 
up  his  hands. 

"The  Tiger  has  no  use  for  men  in  his  band  who 
will  quietly  put  themselves  at  the  mercy  of  an  unseen 
person. 

"Suppose  you  were  in  my  hand  and  I  had  been  a 
Rtirale. 

"A  fine  story  ft  would  have  been  for  the  curs  to 
brag  about  in  their  barracks." 

Deeply  chagrined  by  the  terrible  bandit's  words,  the 
five  sought  to  offer  all  sorts  of  excuses. 

Villa  only  laughed  at  them,  however. 

"You  can't  lie  any  better  than  you  can  take  care 
of  yourselves,  he  finally  sneered. 

"Be  off  with  you  if  you  want  to  go  with  whokj 
skins. 

"Stranger,"  and  he  nodded  to  the  rider  whose  actions 
had  won  his  approval,  "Come  here." 

"What's  your  name?"  he  asked  as  the  man  obeyed. 

"Tomasso." 

'Tomasso  what?" 

"Never  mind." 

The  defiance  brought  a  hot  flush  to  The  Tiger's 
cheeks. 

"You  refuse  to  answer?"  he  thunder^. 

"It's  none  of  your  business.  I'm  known  as  To- 
masso, that's  good  enough/' 


74  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Quickly  Villa  raised  his  six-shooter. 

But  the  horseman  looked  him  straight  in  the  eye, 
never  flinching. 

Finally  The  Tiger  lowered  his  weapon. 

"You  have  the  nerve  I  want  in  my  men,"  he  said. 
"You  can  ride  with  me  if  you  will  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance. 

"Are  you  willing?" 

"Sure." 

"All  right.    Repeat  it  after  me." 

But  before  he  spoke  the  words  of  the  terrible  oath, 
Villa  turned  on  the  other  horsemen. 

"I  told  you  to  begone.  So  go  while  you  have  the 
chance."  And  again  he  raised  his  shooting  irons. 

"Then  we'll  hunt  you  with  the  Rural — "  began 
one  of  them. 

But  before  he  had  finished  his  threat  the  bandit 
chieftain's  guns  barked  and  the  man  tumbled  from  his 
horse. 

"The  rest  of  you  had  better  get  a  move  on,"  he  ex- 
claimed. 

And  as  the  men  clapped  spurs  to  their  moujits.  and 
galloped  down  the  trail  The  Tiger  laughed. 

"They're  fainter-hearted  than  any  white-faced  pigs," 
hs  sneered.  "Now  for  the  oath,  Toraasso." 

"Fire  away,  I'm  wafting,*  returned  tte  new  .re- 
cruit to  the  band  that  was  to  tonofiee 


EUANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  75 


Quickly  the  bandit  chieftain  spoke  it  and  as  quickly 
.Tomasso  repeated  it* 

"Now  well  go  on  our  way/'  Villa  declared,  and 
started  down  the  trail. 

One  after  another,  The  Tiger  added  four  men  sug- 
gested by  Dato,  to  his  band,  Felix,  Baptista,  Pulque 
and  Rambo. 

When  the  last  of  the  quartette  had  taken  the  oath, 
yilla  exclaimed; 

"Now  we  are  nine,    That's  enough. 

"We'll  go  to  the  bear  cave,  get  'Rico  and  Bcpo, 
and  then  see  if  we  can't  stir  up  some  excitement." 


76  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  XII. 
THE  TIGER  Is  TRACKED  TO  His  LAIR. 

ea  by  the  success  of  his  raids,  Villa  gave  no 
t  to  the  men  who  were  hunting  him  once  he  and 
his  recruits  had  gained  the  mountains  again. 

But  the  punchers  from  Los  Rodas  and  the  Rurales 
were  diligently  searching  the  mountains  for  him. 

The  trail  of  the  cattle  was,  of  course,  easy  for  them 
to  find,  and  they  followed  it  to  the  Hontas  plateau. 

Glad  though  Big  Mike  was  to  recover  the  herd, 
which  he  sent  back  to  the  ranch  under  the  care  of 
three  of  his  punchers,  he  and  the  others  were  greatly 
disappointed  not  to  find  the  bandits  with  them. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT,  77, 

"Wonder  if  they  are  on  another  raid?"  suggested 
Don  Sebastian,  the  captain  of  the  Rurales. 

"More  likely  they  have  gone  to  the  cave  by  the 
great  pass  that  Shorty  told  us  about,  for  the  girls," 
declared  one  of  the  cowboys. 

"That's  so,"  acquiesced  the  foreman.  "We'll  go 
there,  too.  If  the  dirty  devils  aren't  there,  we  may 
be  able  to  rescue  Betty  and  Miss  Wales;  if  they  are 
there,  we'll  get  The  Tiger  as  well  as  the  girls." 

This  plan  met  with  the  approval  of  the  captain  of 
the  Rurales,  and  in  quick  order  the  troop  started  for 
the  cave. 

On  their  way,  they  met  the  four  horsemen  whom 
Villa  had  refused  to  enlist  in  his  band. 

Eagerly  they  related  their  treatment  at  the  hands  of 
the  terrible  bandit  and  begged  to  be  allowed  to  join 
the  avengers  and  hunt  him. 

Their  services  were  accepted  and  the  cavalcade 
changed  its  course  to  the  trail  to  Bear  Cave. 

Little  dreaming  that  his  hiding  place  would  be  so 
quickly  found,  The  Tiger  decided  to  take  a  few  days' 
rest  before  executing  any  more  raids. 

And  this  decision  proved  costly. 

The  bandit  chieftain  and  his  men  were  enjoying 
their  after-dinner  seista,  when  they  were  roused  by 
the  neighing  of  Villa's  stallion. 

"Some  one's  coming/'  cried  The  Tiger,  leaping  to 


78  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

his  feet  and  rushing  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave. 

Quickly  his  men,  rifles  in  hand,  joined  him.  And  as 
they  peered  down  the  trail,  they  cried  out  in  amaze- 
ment as  they  recognized  the  uniform  of  the  Rurales. 

"Madre  di  Dios!  but  the  curs  have  keener  noses 
for  the  scent  than  I  thought,"  exclaimed  Villa. 

"But  they  should  know  better  than  to  track  The 
Jiger  to  his  lair. 

"It  will  prove  costly  to  them. 

"We'll  give  them  a  leaden  greeting." 

As  he  spoke,  Villa  threw  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder 
and  fired. 

The  man  in  the  wi  of  the  pursuers  pitched  from 
his  saddle. 

"Quick!  Scatter  into  the  brush!"  shouted  Don 
Sebastian. 

But  before  the  Rurales  and  cowpunchers  could 
obey,  five  more  of  their  number  were  shot. 

Returning  the  bandits'  fire  as  best  they  could  while 
seeking  places  of  safety,  the  avengers,  once  they 
reached  them,  opened  a  withering  fire  upon  the  mouth 
of  the  cave. 

Before  the  deluge  of  lead,  Villa  realized  it  was 
folly  to  expose  his  men,  and  he  ordered  them  to  re- 
treat into  the  cave  out  of  the  angle  of  fire. 

This,  however,  was  no  easy  matter  to  accomplish 
because  the  cowboys  and  Rurales  had  so  spread  out 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  79 

in  extended  formation  that  they  were  able  to  send 
shots  into  the  bandits'  retreat  from  many  directions. 

Undaunted,  however,  The  Tiger  bade  his  men  to 
save  their  fire  and  not  to  expose  themselves. 

"We'll  get  them  after  dark,"  he  declared.  "The 
Rurales  never  fight  at  night.  They'd  rather  sleep." 

But  in  this  prophecy  the  bandit  chieftain  was  mis- 
taken. 

Kindling  huge  bonfires  in  a  semicircle  between  them- 
selves and  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  they  were  able  to 
see  any  one  who  should  emerge  from  it,  while  they 
themselves  were  shielded  by  the  screen  of  flame. 

Quickly  recognizing  the  cleverness  of  the  scheme, 
yilla  realized  that  unless  he  devised  some  way  of 
outwitting  his  besiegers  he  and  his  men  would  be  in 
desperate  straits,  for  the  cave  was  not  stocked  with 
provisions,  and  he  was  not  supplied  with  more  than 
the  ordinary  amount  of  ammunition  carried  by  outlaws. 

His  men  also  realized  the  seriousness  of  their  posi- 
tion. 

"How  would  it  be  a  risk  to  dash  from  the  cave.?/' 
suggested  Toinassa 

"You'd  only  pay  for  it  with  your  life,"  Villa 
answered,  'Towards  morning,  perhaps,  the  fires  will 
die  down  and  then  we  might  have  a  chance.  Bu|  not 


now/' 


80  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

The  besiegers,  however,  took  very  good  care  not 
to  let  the  bonfires  get  low  and  sunrise  found  the  out- 
laws still  cooped  up  in  their  cave. 

Their  plight,  however,  was  more  serious  because 
their  supply  of  water  had  been  exhausted. 

The  firing  into  the  cave  was  practically  abandoned 
by  the  Rurales,  only  an  ocasional  shot,  as  a  sort  of 
reminder  that  they  were  on  the  job,  being  sent  into  it. 

"Something's  got  to  be  done/'  exclaimed  Dato,  when 
afternoon  found  the  situation  unchanged.  "I'm  al- 
most dead  for  a  drink  of  water." 

"Me,  too,"  declared  several  of  the  others. 

A  long  time  they  discussed  various  plans,  only  to 
give  them  up  as  unfeasible,  while  The  Tiger  sat  with 
his  head  down. 

For  once,  his  usual  resourcefulness  seemed  to  have 
failed  him. 

As  though  sensing  the  fact  his  men  grew  restless 
and  openly  cursed  their  fate  at  being  imprisoned 
without  food  or  water. 

When  twilight  came,  and  the  bonfires  again  blazfed 
up,  the  men  were  on  the  verge  of  revolt. 

"Are  you  going  to  get  us  out  of  here  or  are  you 
going  to  let  us  die  of  starvation  and  thirst?"  demanded 
Baptista  of  the  bandit  chieftain. 

"Why?"  drawled  Villa,  looking  at  him, 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  81 

"Because  if  you're  not  going  to  do  anything,  I  am." 

"What?" 

"I'm  going  to  surrender  to  the  Rurales. w 

The  audacity  of  the  fellow  amazed  the  others  and 
they  looked  at  their  leader  to  see  how  he  would  take 
the  open  defiance. 

But  he  only  smiled. 

"Do  you  want  to  surrender?" 

"Well,  I  don't  want  to  starve  to  death." 

"Have  you  forgotten  your  oath  ?" 

"But  you  can't  do  anything  for  us.  What  is  the  use 
of  dooming  eight  men  to  death?  You  can  starve  if 
you  want  to.  The  Rurales  won't  do  anything  much 
to  us  because  it's  you  they  are  after." 

"So  it's  hunger  that  is  making  you  willing  to  vio- 
late your  oath  of  allegiance  to  me  and  surrender  to  the 
Rurales?" 

"Yes,  that  is,  hunger  and  thirst  together." 

In  open-eyed  amazement  the  other  outlaws  had 
listened  to  the  dialogue  between  their  master  and  his 
minion  and  they  wondered  if  The  Tiger  had  lost  his 
courage  to  brook  such  defiance. 

But  their  wonder  was  quickly  satisfied. 

Sneeringly  Villa  stared  at  Baptista,  then  at  last  he 
spoke : 

"WeJl,  if  it's  hunger  and  thirst  that  are  causing  you 
to  turn  traitor  to  me,  they  won't  trouble  you  long." 


82  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

And  whipping  out  his  six-shooter  with  a  lightning 
move,  The  Tiger  dropped  the  man  who  had  dared 
defy  him  in  his  tracks. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
A  DESPERATE  RUSE. 

The  drastic  punishment  meted  out  to  the  bandit  who 
was  willing  to  surrender  rather  than  suffer  privation 
served  as  an  object  lesson  to  the  other  outlaws,  and 
they  ceased  their  grumMng. 

'Throw  the  traito?  out,"  commanded  the 


Instantly  £a&>  and  Bepo  weot  to  thfc  body,  picked  ft 
up,  earned  it  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave  and  tb»ew  ffc 
out 


^     FRANGISGO  VILLA,  BANDIT  83 

And  as  it  sailed  through  the  air  a  volley  of  shots 
from  the  besiegers  greeted  it. 

"Any  more  of  you  want  to  surrender?"  The  Tiger 
demanded,  as  Dato  and  Pepo  rejoined  him,  looking 
from  one  to  another  of  his  seven  remaining  men. 

But  no  one  spoke. 

"Good !"  their  master  ejaculated.  "I  know  I've  been 
caught  unprepared  for  once,  and  because  of  that  I 
deem  it  my  duty  to  relieve  your  suffering. 

"If  you  men  will  remain  in  the  cave  till  sunrise,  I 
promise  to  get  you  both  food  and  water. 

"What  do  you  say?" 

Whether  from  fear  of  a  fate  similar  to  that  meted 
out  to  Baptista  or  because  they  believed  in  their  leader, 
the  bandits  all  declared  their  readiness  to  remain, 

"Good."  Dato,  I  put  you  in  command  If  any  man 
tries  to  desert,  drop  him  like  the  cur  he  is. 

"If  I  am  not  back  by  sunrise,  however,  you  may  con- 
sider yourselves  released  from  your  oaths  and  can  do 
as  you  please." 

As  he  finished  speaking,  Villa  took  his  knife  and  six- 
shooters  from  their  holsters  and  examined  them  care- 
fully, then  made  his  way  to  the  rear  of  the  cave  and 
began  to  work  at  a  small  aperture. 

"But  that  will  take  you  into  the  bears'  den,"  pro- 
tested Bepo,  as  he  realized  his  master's  purpose. 

For  the  cave  in  which  they  were  entrapped  derived 


84  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BAND!? 

its  name  from  the  fact  that  part  of  it  Was  a  den  of  the 
vicious  Sierra  Madre  bears. 

"What  of  it?"  Villa  demanded. 

"Why,  you  may  stumble  onto  a  bear,"  returned  Bepo. 

"Which  is  exactly  what  I  hope  to  do,"  the  bandits 
chieftain  replied. 

Wondering  if  he  had  gone  crazy,  several  of  his  men, 
nevertheless,  helped  enlarge  the  opening  till  at  last  Villa 
was  able  to  squeeze  into  it. 

"Bring  a  torch,"  he  commanded,  and  when  it  was 
given  him,  he  thrust  it  into  the  den. 

"Fine.  Here's  a  monster  bear,"  he  exclaimed. 
"'Rico,  hold  the  torch."  And  thrusting  it  into  the 
bandit's  hand,  their  fearless  leader  dropped  into  the 
den. 

The  sound  of  his  striking  the  floor  of  the  cave 
roused  the  bear. 

Rising  to  his  hind  legs,  he  rushed  at  The  Tiger. 

Whipping  out  his  shooting  irons,  Villa  emptied  theit; 
cylinders  into  the  beast. 

But  the  only  effect  they  seemed  to  have  was  to  make 
the  bear  roar  with  pain. 

On  the  brute  came  and  in  a  trice  the  bandit  chief- 
tain was  locked  in  its  embrace. 

Furiously  the  bear  hugged  him,  the  while  snapping 
at  his  face  and  tearing  at  his  legs  with  its  feet. 

Fascinated   by   the   terrible    struggle,   the   bandits 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  85 

peered  through  the  opening,  unable  to  shoot  because 
of  fear  they  would  hit  their  master. 

But  only  for  a  few  moments  were  they  inactive. 

"Come  on,  we'll  go  down  and  attack  the  bear  from 
behind,"  exclaimed  Tomasso. 

And  quickly  he  and  Dato  were  in  the  den. 

"You  go  on  the  right  side  and  I'll  go  on  the  left," 
Tomasso  cried.  "Put  your  six-shooter  in  the  bear's 
ear  and  empty  the  cylinder." 

Quickly  they  carried  out  the  move. 

For  a  moment  he  had  seemed  to  have  no  effect, 
then  the  bear  staggered  and  fell  to  the  floor,  bringing 
yilla  down  with  him. 

It  was  but  the  work  of  a  few  minutes  for  the  ban- 
dits to  release  their  master,  and  he  got  to  his  feet 
uninjured,  save  for  scratches. 

"That  was  a  close  call,"  he  exclaimed.  "I'd  figured 
on  being  able  to  use  my  knife  if  my  lead  failed  to  stop 
the  brute. 

"As  long  as  I  live,  I'll  remember  the  assistance  you 
two  men  rendered  me. 

"Now  help  me  skin  the  bear." 

Setting  to  the  task,  it  was  not  long  before  it  was 
finished. 

*Tm  going  to  put  the  hide  on,"  The  Tiger  declared, 
"and  you  two  must  lace  me  up." 

This  task  was  also  duly  accomplished,  the  hide  being 


86  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

held  on  by  a  rope  wound  'round  ami  'round  t&e  bandit 
Chieftain's  body. 

As  the  outlaws  realized  their  master's  ruse,  they 
gasped  at  his  daring  and  watched  him  with  admiration 
as  he  lumbered  from  the  cave. 

Scarcely  had  he  disappeared,  however,  than  a  shot 
rang  out.- 

For  among  the  men  whom  Villa  had  refused  to 
accept  as  a  member  of  his  band  was  one  who  knew  of 
the  existence  of  the  bear's  den. 

Accordingly  he  told  Don  Sebastian  about  it,  and  the 
captain  of  the  Rurales  stationed  a  guard  near  enough 
to  watch  it,  and  it  was  this  guard  who  had  shot  at 
what  he  supposed  to  be  a  bear  as  The  Tiger  emerged 
from  the  cave. 

But  the  fellow's  aim  was  poor,  thanks  to  the  fright 
tiie  sudden  appearance  of  the  monster  gave  him,  and 
yilla  was  not  injured. 

Dropping  to  all  fours,  the  bandit  chieftain  lumbered 
off  among  the  rocks,  while  the  guard  fled  in  the  oppo- 
site direction. 

The  shot  had  been  heard  by  the  other  guards,  and 
they  ran  to  learn  tiie  cause,  fearing  a  sortie  by  thq 
outlaws. 

When  the  frightened  guard  told  them  he  had  only 
shot  at  a  bear,  however,  they  cursed  him  and  returned 
to  their  posts  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave. 


FRANCESCO  VllXS,  BANDI1  S7 

Making  his  way  with  the  utmost  caution  and,  per* 
force,  slowly,  Villa  skirted  the  flank  of  the  Rurales 
and  got  behind  them. 

Working  in  carefully,  he  finally  succeeded  in  locating 
the  grub  chest. 

Opening  it,  he  gathered  all  he  could  carry  and  re- 
turned to  the  den,  making  his  entrance  at  a  time  when 
the  guard  was  at  the  end  of  his  beat  farthest  from 
the  den. 

Hurriedly  depositing  the  food,  the  daring  bandit 
leader  again  went  forth  and  returned  with  two  pails 
of  water,  likewise  filched  from  the  commissary  of  the 
besiegers. 

When  he  was  safely  inside  the  den  for  the  second 
time,  Villa  clambered  to  the  opening  into  the  cave 
above  and  called  his  men. 

As  they  reached  the  hole,  he  dropped  back  asd 
handed  up  first  the  water  and  then  the  food,  finally 
going  up  himself,  carrying  the  skin  that  his  ruse  might 
jsot  be  discovered  if  any  of  tfce  Rurales  entered  tbe 


88  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
THE  ESCAPE. 

The  food  and  the  water  so  daringly  obtained  re- 
stored the  spirits  of  the  besieged  outlaws  and  they 
laughed  heartily  over  the  exploit  of  their  master. 

Suddenly  Tomasso  exclaimed :  "Why  can't  we  es- 
cape through  the  bears'  den  to-night,  Pancho?" 

"When  the  cook  goes  to  his  grub  chest  in  the  morn- 
ing he  will  know  it  has  been  raided.  Then  the  incident 
of  the  bear  coming  from  the  cave  will  be  remembered, 
and  I  am  sure  Don  Sebastian  is  clever  enough  to  real- 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  89 

ize  that  what  his  guard  shot  at  was  not  a  real  beas. 

"Consequently  there  will  be  a  heavy  guard  main- 
tained over  the  den  from  that  time  on." 

"I  believe  you're  right,"  returned  the  bandit  chief- 
tain. 

"How  about  the  women?  Won't  they  raise  the 
alarm?"  asked  Bepo. 

"Not  if  we  gag  them,"  Villa  replied.  "As  soon  as 
we  finish  eating,  we'll  go." 

Quickly  their  preparations  were  made.  Betty  and 
Miss  Wales  were  gagged,  and  the  bandits  descended 
into  the  bears'  den. 

"-I'll  get  into  the  hide  again  and  take  care  of  the 
guard,"  exclaimed  The  Tiger, 

Quickly  the  skin  was  adjusted  for  the  second  time, 
and  Villa  lumbered  forth. 

Like  all  Mexicans,  the  guard  hated  night  duty  be- 
cause it  meant  he  must  keep  awake.  Consequently  as 
his  post  was  out  of  sight  of  the  other  guards  he 
deemed  it  his  privilege  to  sleep  if  he  could,  and  he  was 
leaning  against  a  tree,  snoring,  when  The  Tiger  left 
the  cave. 

Making  his  way  carefully,  Villa  reached  hm. 

Quickly  he  thrust  a  gag  in  his  mouth. 

With  all  his  strength  the  guard  sought  to  throw  off 
his  strange  captor,  but  he  was  no  match  for  the 
bandit  chieftain,  and  in  due  course  was  securejy  bound, 


90  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

hand  and  foot,  and  lashed  to  the  tree. 

That  the  besiegers  might  have  a  key  to  the  method 
of  hrs  escape,  The  Tiger  doffed  the  bear  skin  and  left 
it  beside  the  helpless  guard  and  then  returned  to  the 
den. 

Passing  the  word  for  his  men  to  come  out,  he  led 
the  way  around  the  Rurales  to  the  gulch  in  which  their 
horses  were  hobbled. 

As  the  besiegers  had  gathered  up  the  bandits'  ponies, 
they  had  no  difficulty  in  picking  out  their  own  mounts, 
which  they  quickly  did,  for,  thinking  it  impossible  for 
Villa  and  his  band  to  escape  from  the  cave,  Don 
Sebastian  had  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  place  a  guard 
over  the  horses. 

Mounting  quickly,  the  bandits  rode  off  down  the 
trail. 

"I  wish  we  could  give  them  a  shot  just  to  let  them 
know  we're  out  of  the  cave,"  exclaimed  Felix. 

But  though  to  do  so  would  also  have  delighted  The 
Tiger,  he  realized  the  folly  of  such  an  act. 

"If  we  do,  we'll  have  them  an  our  heels,"  he  de- 
clared. "If  we  don't,  it  will  be  daylight  or  later  be- 
fore the  curs  discover  we've  gone  and  we  can  put 
miles  between  ourselves  and  them  by  that  time," 

And  accordingly  they  rode  away  in  silence. 

Striking  off  on  a  cross  trail,  Villa  avoided  appear- 


ERANGISCQ  VILLA>  BANDIT  91 

ing  on  the  prairie  and  stmrise  found  them  in  a  fertile 
valley. 

"Fm  going  to  get  rid  of  those  women,"  announced 
Villa  as  they  ate  a  breakfast  from  the  remains  of  the 
stolen  food.  "Just  at  present  they  are  in  the  way." 

"Oh,  what's  the  use  of  killing  them,"  protested 
Bepo. 

"Who  said  anything  about  killing  them?"  The  Tiger 
demanded. 

"Then  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  them?"  asked 
'Rico. 

"Take  them  back  to  Los  Rodas." 

In  amazed  silence,  the  others  heard  this  announce- 
ment. 

"You'll  be  going  to  Los  Rodas  once  too  often," 
declared  Tomasso.  "Better  turn  them  loose  and  let 
them  go  by  themselves." 

This,  however,  Villa  refused  to  do  and  when  eve- 
ning came,  selecting  Dato  and  Tomasso  as  his  com- 
panions, he  set  forth  with  Betty  and  Miss  Wales. 

"Where  are  you  taking  us  now?"  demanded  the 
former. 

"You'll  know  when  you  get  there,"  the  bandit 
chieftain  snarled.  "If  you  ask  any  more  questions, 
HI  gag  you." 

This  threat  silenced  the  girls  and  they  spoke  no 
more. 


92  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

As  they  readied  tfie  plains,  Villa  ordered  Tomasso 
to  blindfold  them,  for  it  suited  his  fancy  to  make 
them  think  that  he  was  removing  them  to  another 
retreat. 

Arrived  in  sight  of  the  temporary  buildings  that 
had  been  erected  on  the  ruins  of  those  he  had  burned, 
Jhe  Tiger  drew  rein. 

"Set  the  girls  on  the  ground,"  he  commanded.  And 
when  this  had  been  done,  he  continued:  "I'm  sorry, 
my  dears,  but  the  time  has  come  for  us  to  part.  I'll 
just  take  a  good-bye  kiss  and  then  leave  you.  You'll 
be  able  to  make  your  way  somewhere."  And  though 
Betty  and  Miss  Wales  struggled  desperately,  he  kissed 
each  full  on  the  mouth,  and  then  removed  the  hand- 
kerchiefs from  their  eyes. 

For  a  moment  the  girls  stared  about  them  in  be- 
wilderment. 

"Why  it's  Los  Rodas !"  suddenly  cried  Miss  Wales. 

"Exactly,"  chuckled  the  bandit  chieftain-.  "Give  my 
love  to  all  the  folks  and  tell  them  we're  liable  to  call 
again  any  time. 

"And  now  good-bye.  We've  enjoyed  your  com- 
pany immensely." 

And  sweeping  off  his  sombrero  he  bowed  in  mock 
deference,  laughed  sneeringly  and  galloped  away, 
while  the  girls  ran  to  the  temporary  ranch  house. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT]  9$ 


CHAPTER  XIV, 

VILLA  LEVIES  TRIBUTE. 

When  "day  broke  after  the  escape  of  tfie  bandits 
[from  the  bear  cave,  the  cook  started  to  prepare  break- 
fast. 

Lifting  the  lid  of  the  grub  chest,  he  stared  at  its 
almost  emptiness,  then  gave  a  yell  that  brought  the 
Rurales  hurrying  to  him. 

Quickly  he  explained  to  the  captain  the  loss  of  the 
food. 

"Yes,  and  two  of  my  water  pails  are  gone,"  he 
cried. 


94  mANCISCQ  VTL&&>  BANDIT 

Just  then  the  guard  who  had  gone  to  relieve  the 
one  on  duty  at  the  bear's  den  shouted  an  alarm  as 
he  came  upon  the  bound  and  gagged  body  of  his 
fellow. 

When  Don  Sebastian  reached  there  and  heard  the 
guard's  report  of  being  attacked,  the  bear  skin  ex- 
•  plained  the  situation  to  him. 

"Pancho  is  sure  some  clever  devil,"  he  exclaimed, 
compelled  to  admiration  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
bandit  chieftain  had  escaped  from  what  seemed  cer- 
tain capture. 

"But  perhaps  they  haven't  all  gone/'  suggested 
©ne  of  his  men. 

Shots  fired  into  the  cave  without  being  answered 
seemed  to  prove  the  contrary,  however,  though  the 
Rurales  were  not  positive  until  the  loss  of  the  horses 
was  reported. 

"It  will  be  a  long  time  before  we  have  The  Tiger 
in  so  tight  a  place  again/'  lamented  Don  Sebastian. 
Then  he  gave  the  order  to  break  camp,  and  once 
again  the  Rurales  took  up  die  search  for  the  bandit 
chieftain. 

For  several  days  Villa  and  his  men  rested  in  the 

ravine  to  which  they  had  come  from  the  bear's  cave. 

i     "What  we  need  is  money,"  he  announced  one  morn^ 

ing,    "I  want  to  go  to  Pampas  and  try  my  luck  with 

the  cards  and  it  takes  money  to  gamble." 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  95 

"What's  it  going  to  be,  bank,  train  or  ranch  rob- 
bery?" asked  Rambo.  "I  know  a  rancher  who  al- 
ways keeps  three  or  four  thousand  dollars  in  gold 
in  his  safe." 

"Not  enough,"  returned  The  Tiger. 

"How  about  Senor  Gonzales'  bank,  in  Casas  Gran- 
des?"  asked  'Rico.  "It  is  very  rich  and,  I  could  also, 
perhaps,  bring  away  the  Senorita  Dolores." 

"We're  going  to  cut  out  the  women  for  a  while," 
his  master  returned.  "Gonzales'  bank  may  be  rich, 
but  it  is  also  in  a  town,  and  just  at  present  I  don't 
think  towns  are  particularly  safe  places  for  Francisco 
Villa." 

"Then  what  is  it?"  Inquired  Tomasso,  never  seem- 
ing to  fear  the  wrath  of  his  master  for  asking  leading 
questions.  "How  much  do  you  want,  anyway?" 

"Oh,  about  fifty  thousand  dollars." 

"Say,  you're  no  piker,  at  all  events,"  Tomasso  re- 
plied in  admiration  of  the  niai:  who  would  not  be 
satisfied  with  a  raid  \vliich  netted  him  less  than  such 
a  sum.  "Where  on  earth  do  you  expect  to  pick  up 
such  a  bundle  at  one  time?" 

The  evident  flattery  in  his  minion's  words  and  tone 
gratified  The  Tiger's  vanity,  and  he  grinned  and 
chuckled  in  delight. 

"There  are  rich  mines  m  Honcros,"  he  said,  "and 


96  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

once  a  week  they  send  the  ore  wagons  from  the  mines 
to  the  railroad  at  Las  Palmos," 

"But  they  are  always  sent  under  a  heavy  escort," 
declared  Felix,  while  the  others  stared  at  the  man 
who  was  daring  enough  even  to  think  of  attacking 
one  of  the  rich  prizes. 

"Eight  men  who  are  not  afraid  are  more  than  a 
match  for  fifty  with  faint  hearts,"  exclaimed  the 
bandit  chieftain.  "There  are  eight  of  us  but  there  are 
not  fifty  guards  sent  with  the  ore  wagons. 

"Usually  only  three  wagons  are  sent  out  and  there 
are  four  guards  to  each  wagon,  which  with  the 
drivers,  makes  fifteen  men  all  told." 

"But  the  guards  are  Gringos,  not  Mexicans,"  de- 
clared Rambo. 

"Is  a  Gringo's  heart  any  stouter  than  a  Mexican's  ?" 
snapped  The  Tiger. 

"No,  of  course  not." 

"Then  what  difference  does  it  make  whether  the 
guards  are  Mexicans  or  Gringos?" 

"None  at  all,"  returned  the  outlaw,  realizing  that 
he  had  made  a  mistake  in  disparaging  the  courage  of 
the  peons. 

"I'm  glad  you  realize  it,"  Villa  retorted  and  lapsed 
into  a  sullen  silence. 

"Do  any  of  you  happen  to  know  the  days  on  which 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  97 

the  ore  wagons  leave  the  mines?"  he  finally  asked. 

None  of  his  band  did,  however. 

"Then  we  must  go  and  camp  on  the  trail  till  we 
learn  the  lay  of  the  land/'  he  announced.  'There- 
fore, the  sooner  we  start,  the  better. 

"We'll   set  out  tonight." 

The  contemplated  raid  upon  the  wagons,  rich  with 
gold  and  silver  bullion,  furnished  the  outlaws  with 
a  topic  of  conversation  throughout  the  day,  and  it 
was  with  impatience  that  they  awaited  the  coming 
of  darkness. 

Riding  close  to  the  mountains,  the  bandits  travelled 
for  the  most  part  by  night,  and  rested  under  the 
cover  of  the  woods  by  day. 

As  their  supply  of  food  was  running  low,  it  became 
necessary  to  replenish  it. 

So  Villa  headed  for  Los  Remedies  ranch. 

It  was  mid-day  when  the  eight  bandits  reached  it. 

Riding  up  to  the  door  of  the  house,  The  Tiger  beat 
upon  it  with  the  butt  of  his  six-shooter. 

"Is  Senor  Benton  at  home?"  he  asked  of  the  ser- 
vant who  came  to  the  door. 

"No." 

"Expect  him  soon?" 

"Not  till  night." 

"Where  are  the  punchers?" 

"Riding  the  range." 


98  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Made  easy  by  this  information,  the  wily  bandit 
realized  that  he  must  not  show  his  gratification. 

"Well,  is  anybody  home  but  you?"  he  inquired, 
petulantly. 

"Yes,  Mrs.  Benton  is/'  | 

"Then,  may  I  see  her?' 

"Who  shall  I  say?" 

"A   gentleman." 

Closing  the  door,  for  the  appearance  of  the  bandit 
chieftain  and  his  companions  was  anything  but  pre- 
possessing, the  servant  went  to  her  mistress  and  re- 
ported the  interview. 

Mindful  of  the  raids  upon  neighboring  ranches, 
Mrs.  Benton  went  to  a  window  in  the  front  room 
and  raised  it. 

"What  do  you  wish?"  she  asked  of  The  Tiger. 

"Dinner  for  myself  and  men." 

"But  the  cook  is  on  the  range,  I  cannot  give  it 
to  you." 

For  several  moments  Villa  stared  at  the  woman, 
then  exclaimed:  ^ 

"Madam,  you  mu3t  give  us  dinner." 

The  owner  of  Los  Remedios  was  one  of  the 
wealthiest  men  in  Mexico,  and  such  language  to  his 
wife  was  an  insult  which  she  hotly  resented. 

"Who  are  you  to  tell  me  I  must  do  anything?"  she 
demanded  angrily. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  99 

In  mock  deference.  The  Tiger  swept  oft  his  som- 
brero and  bowed  low  in  his  saddle,  exclaiming : 

"I  am  Francisco  Villa — at  your  service,  madam." 

The  name  of  the  terrible  bandit  caused  Mrs.  Ben- 
ton  to  blanch,  and  she  clutched  the  win-dow  sash. 

"I  see  you  have  heard  of  me,"  The  Tiger  con- 
tinued. "Will  you  give  us  dinner?" 

"Er — yes,  that  is,  if  you  will  eat  it  in  the  shack." 

"Impossible,  madam.  We  will  either  eat  at  your 
table  or "  and  he  paused  significantly. 

"Or  what?'1  asked  Mrs.  Benton  faintly. 

"Or  I  am  afiaid  you  will  have  neither  table  nor 
house  to  put  it  in  for  supper." 

"You  mean  you  will  burn  our  home?" 

"Madam's  grasp  of  the  situation  is  perfect." 

A  moment  the  wife  of  the  owner  of  Los  Remedies 
hesitated,  then  said: 

"Very  well,  I  will  call  you  when  it  is  ready." 

And  as  she  turned  away,  Villa  laughed  jecringly. 

With  his  dinner,  the  bandit  chieftain  demanded 
wine,  and  the  amount  he  and  his  men  consumed  be- 
fore he  left  the  ranch  made  a  big  hole  in  Benton's 
cellar. 

When  at  last  The  Tiger  thought  it  time  to  be  mov- 
ing, he  said: 

"Now,  if  you  will  bring  your  jewels,  Mrs.  Benton, 
we  will  leave,11 


100          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Her  fear  of  her  unwelcome  guests  rising,  as  they 
consumed  more  and  more  wine,  she  lost  no  time  in 
going  to  her  room  and  returning  with  a  small  jewel 
box. 

"These  are  all  I  have,"  she  said,  handing  the  case 
to  Villa.  Then,  as  he  frowned  upon  seeing  only 
a  few  pieces,  she  added,  hastily 

"You  see,  I  keep  most  of  my  jewels  in  the  city. 
It  is  safer." 

"That  is  not  what  I  have  heard,"  The  Tiger  re- 
plied. "I  fear  I  must  look  for  myself." 

Heedless  of  Mrs.  Benton's  protests,  Villa  made 
his  way  to  her  room  and  soon  returned  with  a  dia- 
mond necklace  about  his  throat  and  a  sunburst  on  his 
bosom. 

"I  will  take  these  to  remember  the  delightful  day 
we  have  had,"  he  sneered,  and  to  the  great  relief  of 
Mrs.  Benton,  took  his  departure,  carrying  with  him 
a  small  fortune  in  gems. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          101 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  $50,000  HAUL. 

"Won't  old  Benton  be  wild  when  he  returns  and 
learns  I've  levied  tribute  on  Los  Remedies  ?"  chuckled 
the  bandit  chieftain  as  he  and  his  men  galloped  on 
their  way. 

"I'd  surely  like  to  see  the  old  aristocrat's  face  when 
his  wife  tells  him. 

"I've  a  good  mind  to  go  back  and  wait  for  him." 

As  the  outlaws  heard  these  words,  they  were  dis- 
mayed. The  number  of  punchers  employed  by  Ben- 
ton  was  very  large,  and  a  score  or  more  of  them 
might  ride  up  at  any  moment,  and  they  were  of  dif- 
ferent calibre  from  the  cowboys  of  Los  Rodas. 
Therefore  a  return  to  the  ranch  might  spell  direst 
disaster  to  them. 


102          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

But  they  all  were  aware  of  their  master's  disposi- 
tion when  he  had  been  drinking  and  deemed  it  best 
not  to  attempt  to  dissuade  him. 

"Yes,"  announced  Villa,  drawing  rein,"  I  think  we 
will  go  back." 

"I  thought  you  wanted  money  and  lots  of  it,"  ex- 
claimed Tomasso,  in  a  desperate  attempt  to  turn  the 
determination,  by  appealing  to  his  chief's  covetous- 
ness. 

"So  I  do." 

"Well,  there  are  only  a  few  dollars  at  Los  Reme- 
dies, compared  to  what  you'll  get  from  the  ore 
wagons." 

As  the  bandit  played  this  trump  card  his  com- 
panions watched  anxiously  the  effect  it  would  have 
upon  The  Tiger. 

For  several  moments  that  seemed  ages  to  them, 
Villa  considered.  But  at  last  he  spoke. 

"I  believe  you  are  right,  Tomasso,"  he  said. 

"There's  no  believe  about  it.  I  know  I  am,"  the 
outlaw  replied. 

"All  right,  we'll  keep  going  then,"  exclaimed  Villa. 

And  many  were  the  sighs  of  relief  the  bandits  gave 
as  they  resumed  their  forward  way. 

When  dawn  came  they  again  took  to  the  woods, 
and  Villa  removed  the  diamonds,  putting  them  in  his 
pocket,  but  each  night  as  they  set  forth  on  their  ride, 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          103 

he  put  the  necklace  about  his  throat  and  pinned  the 
sunburst  to  the  bosom  of  his  shirt. 

Arrived  at  last  on  the  outskirts  of  Los  Palmos, 
Villa  ordered  his  men  to  separate  and  ride  into,  the 
town  in  pairs  at  intervals  of  an  hour  and  further 
instructed  them  not  to  know  one  another. 

"They  may  be  suspicious  of  so  many  strangers/' 
he  said,  "and  it  won't  do  to  arouse  any  suspicion." 

'Til  take  Tomasso  with  me.  We'll  look  over  the 
route  to  the  mines,  find  the  best  place  to  attack  the 
wagons,  and  what  day  they  leave  the  mines. 

"When  I'm  ready,  you'll  see  me  ride  through  the 
main  street  at  noon  with  a  red  bandanna  about  my 
neck. 

"Everybody  understand?" 

"What  shall  we  say  we  are,  if  anybody  asks?"  in- 
quired Felix. 

"Cow  punchers.  But  don't  let  anybody  ask  you 
if  you  can  help  it. 

"Anything  else?" 

None  of  them  had  any  more  questions  to  ask  and, 
nodding  to  Tomasso,  the  bandit  chieftain  rode  into 
Los  Paimos. 

The  next  morning  bright  and  early  Villa  and  his 
companion  set  out  for  the  mines  in  Honoras. 

Had  any  one  else  been  travelling  the  road,  they 
would  have  been  surprised  by  the  sight  of  two  men 


104          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

every  now  and  then  jumping  their  horses  into  the 
brush  beside  the  trail,  and  at  other  times  mounting 
rocks  and  looking  up  and  down  the  road. 

Arrived  at  the  mines,  The  Tiger  announced  them- 
selves as  cowboys  with  a  desire  to  see  what  mines 
looked  like,  and  their  every  wish  in  that  respect  was 
granted,  their  guide  even  going  so  far  as  to  give 
them  the  much  desired  information  that  the  ore 
wagons  left  the  mines  at  four  o'clock  on  Monday 
morning  in  time  to  load  the  ore  onto  cars  which  were 
hauled  from  Los  Palmos  at  five  in  the  afternoon. 

"I  suppose  they  are  heavily  guarded,"  commented 
the  bandit  chieftain. 

"You  just  bet  they  are,"  assented  the  miner  who 
was  showing  them  about,"  fifteen  men  all  told,  in- 
cluding the  three  drivers,  and  each  guard  has  three 
rifles  besides  two  six-shooters. 

"And  those  fellows  are  some  shots,  too,  and  don't 
you  forget  it.  There  isn't  one  of  them  who  can't 
put  a  bullet  through  an  ace  of  diamonds  at  a  hun- 
dred feet." 

"Which  is  sure  some  shooting,"  The  Tiger  acqui- 
esced. 

Having  completed  the  rounds,  the  two  bandits  rode 
away. 

"I'm  not  so  certain  of  our  eight  men  being  a  match 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  105 

for  those  twelve  guards  if  they  are  such  expert  shots 
and  have  three  rifles  apiece." 

"It's  a  cinch,  man  dear." 

"How  do  you  figure  that?" 

"Why,  shoot  them  each  in  the  right  arm.  It'll  take 
quick  work,  but  we'll  have  the  jump  on  them." 

As  they  returned  to  the  railroad  town,  the  two 
outlaws  decided  that  a  turn  in  the  road>  protected 
by  bushes  on  the  inside  would  be  the  place  to  commit 
the  hold-up. 

"It  will  be  daylight  when  they  get  to  it,"  announced 
Villa,  "and  we  shall  be  able  to  shoot  the  guards  from 
the  bushes  without  their  seeing  us  or  knowing  how 
many  of  us  there  are." 

"It'll  be  some  stunt,"  Tomasso  declared.  "But 
how  are  we  going  to  carry  the  stuff  away?  Bullion 
is  heavy  stuff." 

"We'll  just  take  what  we  can  carry  and  leave  the 
rest.  It's  a  shame  but  we'll  have  to." 

Having  thus  worked  out  the  details  of  the  hold-up, 
Villa  and  Tomasso  rode  into  Los  Palmos. 

As  it  was  then  a  Friday,  they  were  only  obliged  to 
idle  away  two  days. 

In  the  most  casual  way  Villa  managed  to  chat  with 
his  other  men  and  tell  them  to  meet  him  at  the  curve 
in  the  road  by  nine  o'clock  on  Monday  morning,  thus 
obviating  the  necessity  of  his  riding  through  the 


106          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

town  with  the  red  bandanna  about  his  neck. 

At  the  appointed  hour,  the  eight  bandits  met  at 
the  turn  in  the  road. 

Calculating  that  the  wagons  would  be  along  about 
ten,  The  Tiger  took  his  men  into  the  brush  and  sta- 
tioned them  at  intervals  of  twenty  feet. 

"We'll  have  to  kill  some  of  them,  of  course,"  he 
exclaimed,  "but  try  for  their  right  arms  first. 

"If  you  can  put  a  bullet  into  them,  the  Gringos 
won't  be  able  to  use  their  rifles. 

"Remember  not  to  show  yourselves  till  I  give  the 
word." 

Having  received  their  instructions  the  bandits 
awaited  with  what  patience  they  could  the  coming  of 
the  ore  wagons. 

At  last  the  creaking  of  the  bodies  under  the  heavy 
ore  reached  their  ears. 

Intently  each  outlaw  peered  through  the  leaves, 
a  six-shooter  in  each  hand.  For  it  had  been  one  of 
Villa's  requirements  of  the  men  he  recruited  that 
they  could  shoot  equally  well  with  either  hand. 

Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  sound  of  the  wagons. 

At  last  the  horses  of  the  first  wagon  rounded  the 
turn. 

But  there  was  no  one  on  it  save  the  driver. 

The  second  wagon  also  appeared  without  any  guard, 
but  when  the  third  one  hove  in  sight  some  of  the 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          107 

Iwelve  men  were  stretched  out  on  it,  chatting  and 
laughing,  while  others  were  playing  guards. 

Such  a  breach  of  their  instructions  would  have 
brought  a  severe  reprimand  from  any  of  the  officers 
of  the  mine  had  they  seen  it,  but  the  guards,  having 
traversed  the  route  so  many  times  without  any  mis- 
adventure, had  become  careless. 

When  the  last  wagon  had  reached  a  spot  opposite 
to  where  he  and  Tomasso  were  stationed,  Villa  opened 
fire. 

Instantly  the  other  bandits  followed  suit. 

Dumfounded  at  the  suddenness  of  the  attack,  for 
an  instant  the  guards  were  motionless,  then  such  of 
them  as  could  slid  over  the  farther  side  of  the  wagon 
and  made  for  their  proper  stations,  for  they  had  left 
their  rifles  on  their  wagons. 

Therefore  there  were  only  three  guns  to  be  turned 
against  the  bandits. 

The  firing  by  the  outlaws  was  incessant. 

Two  of  the  guards  on  the  third  wagon  dropped, 
shot  to  death,  while  the  shooting  arm  of  the  third 
member  was  put  out  of  commission. 

As  the  other  guards,  protected  for  the  moment  by 
the  sides  of  the  wagons,  put  up  their  hands  to  get 
their  rifles,  the  bandits  sent  shots  into  the  arms  of 
all  but  two. 

These  men  were  clever  enough  to  call  to  the  drivers 


108          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

to  throw  out  their  rifles,  and  then  to  run  their  horses 
for  all  they  were  worth  to  the  railroad  station. 

Catching  the  guns  as  they  were  tossed  to  them  the 
two  guards  dashed  back  to  the  third  wagon  and,  hid- 
ing as  much  of  their  bodies  behind  it  as  they  could, 
opened  fire  into  the  bushes. 

•     The  first  shot,  fired  at  random  as  it  was,  found 
Felix,  and  he  tumbled  from  his  horse. 

Next  Bepo's  mount  was  shot. 

Then  Rambo  fell. 

At  last,  however,  the  magazines  of  the  rifles  they 
carried  were  empty  and  they  were  obliged  to  stop 
firing. 

"Give  us  your  extra  guns,"  called  one  of  the  men 
in  the  cart. 

Powerless  to  use  their  right  hands,  they  were  able 
to  hand  them  out  with  their  left,  and  again  a  rain 
of  lead  was  poured  into  the  bushes. 

Two  bullets  found  Villa,  and  Pulque's  horse  was 
shot  from  under  him. 

Realizing  that  the  toll  they  were  paying  was  heavy, 
The  Tiger  leaned  toward  Tomasso. 

"When  their  magazines  are  empty  again,  well 
jump  into  the  road  and  drill  them  full  of  lead. 

"If  we're  quick  we  can  do  it  before  they  get  fresh 
rifles." 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  109 

With  the  cessation  of  bullets,  Villa  and  his  com- 
panion  leaped  their  horses  from  the  brush  and  emptied 
the  cylinders  of  their  six-shooters  into  the  guards, 
dropping  both  of  them. 

"Come  out,  you  men!"  yelled  the  bandit  chieftain 
to  those  of  his  fellows  still  in  the  bushes. 

Quickly  they  obeyed  but  before  they  gained  the 
road,  Tomasso  had  bound  the  drivers  at  his  master's 
command. 

"Now  the  sacks,"  The  Tiger  exclaimed  as  he  drew 
his  own  from  the  bosom  of  his  shirt. 

"Everybody,  up  onto  the  wagon,  and  help  your- 
selves! Don't  bother  with  the  silver.  Just  take  all 
the  gold  you  can  carry." 

Hastily  the  outlaws  put  the  blocks  of  gold  into 
their  bags. 

"I  hate  to  leave  so  much,"  lamented  Bepo. 

"Never  mind,  if  it  takes  a  wagon  to  carry  it  all, 
we  can't  take  but  a  little,"  returned  Villa. 

At  last  every  bandit  was  loaded  to  his  capacity. 

"Get  your  horses  and  ride  for  it,"  commanded  The 
Tiger.  "It's  every  man  for  himself  now. 

"I'll  manage  to  meet  you  if  possible  at  the  ravine 
in  about  six  months." 

And  clapping  spurs  to  his  stallion,  Villa  raced 
through  the  woods,  Dato  and  Tomasso  by  his  side. 


110          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

As  he  rode  away,  The  Tiger  rose  in  his  saddle. 
"If  any  one  asks  you  who  did  this,"  he  shouted, 
"tell  them  it  was  Francisco  Villa!" 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
VILLA  PAYS  AN  EVENING  CALL. 

Pulque  and  Bepo,  having  lost  their  mounts,  took 
the  horses  of  Felix  and  Rambo,  who  had  b°en  killed, 
and  made  their  getaway  riding  together,  while  'Rico 
went  off  by  himself. 

The  toll  of  the  fight  had  been  heavy,  two  out  of 
eight  of  the  bandits  killed,  the  other  six  all  wounded; 
of  the  fifteen  ore  guards,  five  were  killed  and  all  the 
others  shot  in  the  right  arm. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          111 

tte  cfrfveT  g£s  !^  Jilea  |na  He  was  bound 
and  helpless. 

Having  hauled  the  first  two  ore  wagons  out  of 
range  of  the  guns,  the  drivers  halted. 

Unharnessing  one  of  his  horses,  the  man  on  the 
first  wagon  leaped  onto  its  back  and  dashed  for  Los 
Palmos  to  summon  aid. 

Ere  he  returned,  however,  the  bandits  had  put 
miles  between  themselves  and  the  scene  of  this  fifty- 
thousand-dollar  haul,  as  it  was  a  good  twelve  miles 
from  the  town  to  the  stalled  wagons,  and  the  horse 
was  a  heavy  Percheron. 

While  they  waited  the  coming  of  assistance,  the 
guards  on  the  third  wagon  managed  with  their  left 
hands  to  loosen  the  driver's  bonds  and  he  in  turn 
helped  them  bind  up  their  wounds. 

In  due  course  the  Rurales  and  many  townsfolk 
arrived,  but  though  they  took  up  the  trails  they  never 
saw  the  bandits. 

This  hold-up  added  the  finishing  touch  to  the  terror 
that  the  name  of  the  bandit  chieftain  inspired. 

Men  and  women  asked  each  other  what  he  would 
do  next  and  bankers  and  train  officials  increased  the 
guards  over  their  money  and  money  shipments,  while 
ranch  owners  laid  in  fresh  supplies  of  firearms  and 
ammunition. 

When  the  news  of  this  latest  outrage  perpetrated 


112          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

by  The  Tiger  reached  President  Diaz,  in  Mexico 
City,  he  immediately  offered  an  additional  prize  oi 
ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  bandit's  capture,  and  sent 
instructions  that  the  force  of  Rurales  on  his  trail  be 
doubled. 

But  neither  the  head  money  nor  the  Rurales 
bothered  Villa.  In  fact,  they  bore  testimony  to  the 
fear  in  which  he  was  held  and  thus  gratified  his 
vanity. 

But  despite  the  success  of  the  hold-up,  the  bandit 
chieftain  really  had  a  white  elephant  on  his  hands. 

The  gold  he  had  stolen  was  bullion. 

If  he  took  it  anywhere  to  be  exchanged  for  coin, 
he  would  be  recognized  and  possibly  shot.  Nor  could 
he  delegate  the  task  of  exchanging  the  bullion  for 
coin  to  his  men,  and  this  because  anyone  presenting 
any  bullion  with  such  a  request  would  be  certain  to 
be  arrested  and  the  gold  would  be  confiscated. 

When  the  three  bandits  realized  this,  they  were 
puzzled  as  to  what  to  do. 

"Why  not  go  to  the  States  ?"  suggested  Dato. 

"The  risk  there  would  be  the  same  as  here.  We'd 
be  arrested." 

"South  America?"  Tomasso  proposed. 

"Too  far.  Besides,"  returned  his  master,  "I  don't 
see  why  I  should  be  obliged  to  leave  Mexico  to  change 
this  gold. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  113 

"And  what's  more,  I  won't!"  And  he  brought  his 
fist  down  against  the  palm  of  his  left  hand  with  a 
resounding  whack. 

"What  will  you  do,  then?5'  inquired  Tornasso. 

"I'll  show  you  tonight." 

When  darkness  fell,  the  three  bandits  were  on  the 
outskirts  of  Casas  Grandes. 

Hobbling  their  horses  in  the  woods,  they  made 
their  way  on  foot  into  the  town. 

"Where  does  Senor  Gonzales,  the  banker  live?"  he 
asked  of  the  first  peon  he  met,  and  having  received 
the  information,  went  to  the  banker's  house. 

"I  wish  to  see  the  Senor,"  he  told  the  servant  who 
answered  his  summons. 

"Say  it  is  about  a  large  loan." 

Fortunately  for  the  success  of  his  request,  Villa 
stood  in  the  shadow  and  the  servant  could  not  see 
how  shabbily  he  was  dressed  for  a  man  desiring  a 
large  loan. 

In  quick  order  the  banker  appeared. 

"What  can  I  do  for  you?"  he  asked,  looking  from 
one  to  the  other  of  the  trio. 

Like  a  flash,  The  Tiger  whipped  out  his  six-shooter, 
and  covered  the  banker. 

"You  can  do  this — come  to  your  bank  with  us  now,1' 
he  snapped. 

"This  is  monstrous !"  Gonzales  protested. 


114          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"Either  come  or  go  to  your  death,"  growled  Villa, 
"but  be  quick  about  your  decision,  we  haven't  any 
time  to  waste." 

"I-I  will  go,"  assented  the  banker. 

"Good.  Now,  don't  make  any  outcry  on  the  street. 
If  you  do,  I'll  shoot  you,  for  I  shall  have  my  gun  on 
you  as  we  walk  along.  Come  on." 

And  pressing  the  muzzle  of  his  revolver  against 
Gonz'alcs'  side  he  kept  step  with  the  thoroughly  terri- 
fied banker. 

Arrived  at  the  bank,  Gonzales  was  so  frightened 
he  could  scarcely  unlock  the  door.  Bnt  at  last  he 
succeeded,  and  they  entered. 

"What  now?"  he  asked,  his  teeth  chattering. 

"Here's  a  candle,"  and  The  Tiger  drew  one  from 
his  pocket.  "Light  it.  Then  open  your  safe.  I  want 
to  exchange  some  bullion  for  gold  coin/' 

At  the  request,  the  banker  almost  dropped  the 
candle,  so  terrified  was  he,  for  he  knew  he  was  in  the 
power  of  the  terrible  bandit  chieftain. 

"You  are  Francisco  Villa?"  he  stammered. 

"I'm  not  saying  who  I  am,"  the  outlaw  returned. 
"Just  get  busy.  My  time  is  valuable." 

After  much  fumbling,  due  to  his  nervousness,  the 
banker  opened  the  safe,  and  as  Villa  saw  the  money  in 
the  vault,  his  eyes  danced. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          115 

Producing  five  bars  of  gold,  he  handed  them  to 
Gonzales. 

"Coin  for  that,"  he  snapped,"  and  mind  you,  don't 
cheat  on  the  weight." 

The  words  put  an  idea  in  the  banker's  head,  and 
he  short-weighted  The  Tiger  and  his  two  companions, 
who  also  produced  five  bars  of  gold  each. 

When  they  had  received  the  coin  in  exchange, 
Villa  turned  on  Gonzales. 

"I  think  from  your  face  that  you  have  cheated  us. 
No  aristocrat  can  cheat  Francisco  Villa. 

"To  be  on  the  safe  side,  we'll  just  take  some  of 
this  money  in  the  vault. 

"Help  yourself,  Dato,  and  you,  Tomasso." 

Quickly,  the  three  bandits  took  all  the  gold  they 
could,  while  the  banker  wrung  his  hands  and  wailed 
that  he  was  ruined. 

Unable  to  carry  more  of  the  precious  metal,  The 
Tiger  turned  on  Gonzales. 

"Let  this  be  a  lesson  to  you  not  to  cheat  people 
you  deal  with,"  he  snapped.  "Thank  you  for  your 
service  to  us — you  aristocrat." 

And  as  he  passed  the  banker,  Villa  spat  in  his  face. 


116          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
THE  TIGER  LIFTS  THE  LID. 

"I'll  bet  old  Gonzales  never  will  get  over  this/' 
The  Tiger  chuckled,  as  he  and  his  companions 
reached  the  street.  "Also,  I  don't  believe  he'll  cheat 
any  more  customers  for  a  long  time." 

"Where  to  now?"  asked  Tomasso,  as  they  swung 
into  their  saddles. 

"To  Pampas  and  the  cards.  We've  got  the  money 
now  and  I'm  going  to  lift  the  lid  off  that  town." 

The  idea  appealed  to  Villa's  companions,  and  in 
high  spirits  they  arrived  at  Pampas  in  due  time. 

The  one  street  of  the  town  was  lined  with  dance 
halls,  saloons  and  gambling  dens. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  117 

Going  up  to  a  man  standing  in  front  of  one  of  the 
drinking  places  the  bandit  chieftain  asked: 

"Where  do  they  play  the  highest  stakes?" 

"At  the  'Yellow  Dog.' " 

And  thither  the  trio  went. 

Entering  the  den,  in  which  men  and  women  were 
dancing,  drinking  and  gambling,  Villa  went  from  one 
game  to  another,  finally  stopping  at  the  roulette  wheel. 

Ignorant  of  the  manner  in  which  the  game  was 
played,  he  watched  for  a  while. 

Suddenly  he  put  his  han-d  in  his  pocket,  drew  it 
out  full  of  double  eagles  and  slapped  them  down  on 
the  double  O. 

"Are  you  playing  that?"  asked  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

"How  much  do  I  get?" 

"Thirty-four  to  one." 

"Sounds  good.  Yes,  I'm  playing  it  returned  The 
Tiger. 

Grinning  broadly,  the  man  at  the  wheel  spun  the 
marble,  while  the  other  players  stopped  for  the 
moment  to  watch  the  stranger. 

Round  and  round  spun  the  marble,  then  slower 
till  it  began  to  bump  against  the  partitions. 

Of  all  the  onlookers,  Villa  was  the  most  uncon- 
cerned. 

Finally,  with  a  "chuck,"  the  marble  rolled  into  the 
double  O. 


118          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"Luck  seems  to  be  xvith  me  tonight,"  The  Tiger 
laughed  as  the  banker  with  great  reluctance  counted 
the  amount  of  Villa's  bet  and  paid  him  $4800. 

"Instead  of  taking  any  of  his  winnings  the  bandit 
chieftain  let  them  lie  on  the  cloth. 

"Playing  this  time  ?"  inquired  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

"Spin  the  marble  and  I'll  see." 

"Have  to  place  your  bet  before  I  start  it." 

"All  right.     Put  it  on  17." 

rAgam  the  marble  spun  round,  and  again  it  dropped 
in  the  number  Villa  was  playing. 

Cursing  to  himself  the  banker  again  paid  the  34  to  1 
winning. 

"Let's  have  some  wine  for  the  house,"  exclaimed 
the  bandit  chieftain. 

While  waiting  for  it,  Villa  turned  his  attention  to 
the  women. 

An  unusually  pretty  girl  attracted  his  eye,  and 
quickly  he  beckoned  her  to  him. 

"I'll  play  some  of  this  gold  for  you,  beauty,"  he 
'said. 

The  arrival  of  the  wine  stopped  all  play  for  the 
moment  while  every  one  in  the  den  drank  the  lavish 
stranger's  health. 

Word  of  The  Tiger's  winnings  had  spread  to  the 
other  dives  and  men  and  women  were  flocking  in  to 
see  the  excitement. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          119 

Among  them  came  the  proprietor  of  the  "Yellow 
Dog,"  who  deemed  it  best  to  be  present  when  such 
high  play  was  going  on. 

"Any  limit  to  this  game?"  the  terrible  outlaw  asked 
when  the  wheel  again  started. 

In  answer  the  banker  looked  at  the  owner  of  the 
dive. 

"Nothing  but  the  sky,"  that  worthy  returned. 

"Suits  me  to  a  T,f "  The  Tiger  grinned.  "I  came 
to  Pampas  to  lift  the  lid  and  I  don't  think  I  can  lift 
it  ary  higher  than  the  sky. 

"Here,  beauty,  I'll  play  half  of  this  for  you,  if  you 
want." 

Eagerly  the  girl  accepted. 

Again  Villa  put  all  his  previous  winnings  on  one 
number,  this  time  returning  to  the  double  O. 

"I'd  rather  have  my  half  now,"  exclaimed  the  girl, 
in  disgust  as  she  saw  the  bandit's  play. 

"You  shall  have  it,  win  or  lose,"  he  answered. 

Round  the  roulette  table  men  and  women  were 
jammed  till  they  could -hardly  move,  each  and  every 
one  watching  the  lucky  stranger. 

"Any  one  else  going  to  play?"  asked  the  man  at 
the  wheel,  but  no  one  cared  to  back  his  choice  against 
Villa's. 

When  the  marble  rolled  into  double  O,  the  beauty 
threw  her  arms  round  The  Tiger's  neck. 


120          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"Can  I  really  have  half?"  she  asked. 

"Sure  thing.  Didn't  I  say  so?"  Then  turning  to 
the  banker,  he  said,  "Come,  hurry  up.  I  want  to 
dance  a  while." 

But  the  banker  only  looked  at  the  owner  of  the 
"Yellow  Dog,"  and  shook  his  head. 

"Come  on,  hurry  up.  Have  you  grown  deaf?" 
The  Tiger  demanded.  "I  want  my  money." 

Of  all  those  in  the  den,  Villa  and  his  companions 
were  the  only  ones  who  did  not  understand  the  situa- 
tion. 

"Don't  you  get  it?"  asked  the  beauty.  "They  can't 
pay  you — youVe  broken  the  bank." 

For  several  moments  Villa  stared  dumbly  at  the 
girl,  then  at  last  the  truth  dawned  on  him. 

Whirling,  he  seized  the  owner  of  the  "Yellow  Dog" 
by  the  coat  lapel  and  jerked  him  from  the  crowd. 

"Is  that  true — you  can't  pay  me  my  winnings?" 
hissed  The  Tiger,  his  face  distraught  with  fury. 

"Jake  says  it  is,"  returned  the  gambler,  putting 
the  onus  on  his  banker. 

"But  you  told  me  the  sky  was  the  limit.  Yet  that 
pile  of  gold  isn't  four  inches  high  and  you  can't 
pay  it." 

"I  can  if  you'll  give  me  time." 

"Sure  I'll  give  you  time — just  five  minutes." 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  121 

As  he  uttered  the  words,  which  meant  ruin  to  the 
"Yellow  Dog,"  the  lights  went  out. 

Instantly  there  was  a  wild  scramble  for  Villa's 
gold,  which  still  lay  on  the  table,  by  the  human  dregs 
who  had  flocked  into  the  dive. 

"Light  those  lamps  again/'  thundered  Villa.  "If 
anybody  touches  my  gold,  I'll  search  every  mother's 
whelp  of  you." 

And  to  emphasize  his  words,  The  Tiger  pulled  his 
six-shooters  and  sent  a  couple  of  shots  into  the  ceiling. 

At  the  bark  of  the  guns,  the  lights  flashed  up  again. 
On  the  roulette  table  lay  pieces  of  gold  where  the 
thieves  had  dropped  them. 

"I've  got  the  jump  on  you  now,"  yelled  the  bandit 
chieftain.  Then  turning,  he  placed  one  of  his  shooters 
against  the  owner  of  the  "Yellow  Dog's"  heart. 

"If  you  douse  those  glims  again  or  try  any  more 
funny  tricks,  "The  Tiger  shouted,  "I'll  send  a  dose 
of  lead  into  this  man. 

"Get  me?    Good.     And  now  I  want  my  winnings. 

"Shell  out." 

"But  we  can't  pay  you,"  protested  the  banker. 

"Then  give  me  what  you've  got. 

"Tomasso,  go  round  behind  the  table  and  see  he 
doesn't  fool  me." 

"He  can't  do  that,"  protested  the  "Yellow  Dog" 
owner. 


122          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

"Don't  tell  me  what  he  can  do  and  what  he  can't," 
snarled  Villa,  jabbing  with  his  gun  barrel. 

The  hint  was  sufficient,  and  in  silence  they  all 
watched  while  Tomasso  joined  the  banker. 

"We're  ten  thousand  short/'  the  banker  announced. 

"Get  it,"  demanded  Villa,  whirling  on  his  captive. 

"I  can  give  you,  five  of  it." 

"I  believe  your  lying.  Dato,  come  here  and  search 
this  Gringo." 

Obeying,  it  did  not  take  long  for  the  bandit  to 
produce  a  roll  of  money  which  counted  up  to  twelve 
thousand  dollars. 

"Trying  to  welch  on  me,  weren't  you?"  hissed  The 
Tiger.  "Take  it  all,  Dato. 

"I'll  teach  the  pale-faced  pig  to  try  to  play  tricks 
on  t  rancisco  Villa  I" 

At  the  name  a  gasp  of  terror  ran  through  the  den. 

"Got  the  money,  Tomasso  ?"  The  Tiger  called. 

"Yes." 

"Then  come  on.  And  you,  you  piker,  can  consider 
yourself  lucky  to  get  off  with  your  life."  And  he 
shook  the  "Yellow  Dog"  owner,  then  sent  him  spin- 
ning from  him. 

A  couple  of  paces  Villa  took  toward  the  door,  then 
stopped. 

"Here,  girlie,  where  are  you?"  he  called,  and  as 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          123 

the  beauty  approached,  he  continued:  "I'd  almost 
forgotten  you. 

"Tomasso  has  my  winnings,  but  I  guess  this  will 
be  equal  to  half  of  them."  And  putting  his  hand 
in  his  pouch,  the  bandit  chieftain  drew  it  out  full 
twice  and  gave  it  to  the  astonished  girl.  Then  he 
kissed  and  made  for  the  door. 

As  he  reached  it,  some  one  shouted :  "There's  30,000 
dollars  prize  money  on  his  head.  Let's  get  it." 

Instantly,  Villa  whirled,  then  dropped  to  the  floor. 

"He's  been  knifed !"  shrieked  the  beauty. 


J24          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

BETRAYED. 

Instantly  Tomasso  and  Dato  rushed  to  their  chief 
and  picked  him  up. 

"Where  can  we  take  him?"  exclaimed  Dato. 

"To  my  home,  if  you  want  to,"  declared  the  girl 
to  whom  he  had  been  so  generous. 

"Where  is  it?" 

"What  makes  you  ask?" 

"Because  since  these  people  know  The  Tiger  we 
can't  stay  in  Pampas." 

"It  isn't  in  Pampas." 

"Is  it  far?" 

"Forty  miles.  I  board  in  town,  you  know." 

"Good.    We'll  go  there.    Tomasso,  put  the  girl  on 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  125 

your  horse,  I'll  take  Rancho  on  the  stallion  and  you 
take  mine. 

"Lively  now." 

Quickly  they  moved  away,  and  none  too  soon,  for 
a  score  or  more  guns  barked. 

"Nice,  friendly  people  in  this  town  of  Pampas," 
exclaimed  Tomasso  as  he  swung  the  beauty  up  onto 
his  horse. 

"They'd  murder  their  mothers  for  a  peso,"  she 
replied. 

Fortunately  for  the  bandits,  there  were  no  other 
horses  in  front  of  the  "Yellow  Dog,"  or  their  getaway 
would  have  been  more  difficult. 

As  it  was  the  denizens  of  Pampas  sent  bullet  after 
bullet  at  them,  though  none  took  effect. 

Forced  to  ride  slowly,  once  they  had  gained  the 
open  on  account  of  the  pain  The  Tiger  was  suffering, 
it  was  after  sunrise  when  they  reached  the  girl's 
home,  which  proved  to  be  only  an  abandoned  hovel. 

"My  family  are  dead,"  she  explained,  "so  I  took 
everything  and  went  to  Pampas.  My  name  is  Mer- 
cedes Horta. 

"But  Pancho  will  be  safe  here.  No  one  knows  about 
it  in  Pampas." 

Making  their  chief  as  comfortable  as  they  could, 
Tomasso  and  Dato  decided  that  the  former  should 


126         FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

ride  to  the  nearest  ranch  and  buy  provisions  and 
medicine. 

"If  you  don't  want  to  get  a  doctor,  there's  an  old 
Indian  woman  near  here  who  is  great  on  salves  and 
such  things,"  said  Mercedes. 

"Get  her,"  ordered  Dato.  And  as  Tomasso  rode 
away  to  get  food,  the  girl  sped  for  the  medicine 
woman. 

The  old  squaw  examined  the  wound  carefully, 
shook  her  head  and  hurried  away,  returning  with 
various  herbs  and  lotions  which  she  applied  deftly. 

For  three  days  Villa's  fever  raged  and  his  chums 
despaired  of  his  life,  but  on  the  fourth  there  was  a 
change  for  the  better,  and  from  then  on  his  improve- 
ment was  rapid. 

Thinking  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the  squaw 
who  was  paid  handsomely,  the  others  made  no  effort 
to  conceal  The  Tiger's  identity. 

But  bitterly  were  they  to  rue  this  carelessness. 

When  the  danger  was  over,  the  old  Indian  went 
home. 

Enjoying  the  society  of  Mercedes,  and  thinking 
themselves  safe  from  all  pursuit,  the  bandits  lingered 
long  after  their  chief  was  able  to  ride. 

Like  all  Indians,  the  squaw  was  covetous.  She 
knew  there  was  a  big  reward  offered  for  The  Tiger, 
and  she  determined  to  get  at  least  some  of  it. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          127 

So  settmg  forth",  she  went  to  the  nearest  barracks 
of  the  Rurales  at  Esclamon  and  laid  her  information 
as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  much- wanted  bandit 
chieftain  before  the  captain. 

Keen  was  his  delight  as  she  told  him,  and  hardly 
pausing  to  thank  her,  he  ordered  out  his  men. 

"Hold  on!"  she  shrieked.  "How  much  of  the  re- 
gard do  I  get?" 

"Not  a  peso.  The  money  goes  to  those  who  capture 
Villa,  not  to  informers,"  he  shouted  back,  as  he  swung 
into  his  saddle. 

Unbelieving,  the  old  hag  stood  for  a  moment,  then 
realizing  that  she  would  gain  nothing  from  her  be- 
trayal of  the  man  who  had  paid  her  so  generously, 
she  raised  her  hands  above  her  head  and  shrieked: 

"May  the  fiends  of  hell  sit  on  the  chest  of  you, 
your  wife  and  your  children  and  gnaw  their  hearts 
out!  And  may  you  die  the  -death  of  the  dog  that 
you  are,  spurned  by  all  your  friends." 

Then '  she  staggered  back  to  her  hovel. 

The  bandits  were  lolling  in  the  house  and  Mercedes 
was  at  the  spring  when  she  chanced  to  look  up  and 
saw  a  body  of  horsemen  racing  toward  the  hut. 

"Rurales !"  she  gasped,  and  dashing  for  the  house, 
she  shouted:  "The  Rurales  are  coming!" 

Amazed,  the  bandits  leaped  to  the  windows  and 
verified  the  warning. 


128          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Catching  Mercedes  about  the  waist,  Villa  ran  with 
her  to  the  shack  in  which  were  their  horses,  followed 
by  his  chums. 

No  time  was  there  to  saddle,  so  close  were  the  man- 
hunters,  so  the  bandits  merely  bridled  and  leaped 
onto  their  mounts,  The  Tiger  swinging  the  girl  up 
in  front  of  him. 

"The  only  thing  to  do  is  for  us  each  to  ride  in  a 
different  direction,"  exclaimed  their  leader. 

"By  'doing  that  the  curs  won't  know  which  of  us  I 
am. 

"Meet  you  at  the  bear  cave." 

Quickly  the  outlaws  raced  from  the  shack,  Villa 
heading  north,  Tomasso  east,  and  Dato  south. 

As  he  saw  them  escaping,  the  captain  of  the  Ru- 
rales  shouted  a  command  which  divided  his  troop 
into  three  sections,  and  each  one  gave  chase  to  the 
lone  horseman  ahead  of  it. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          129 


CHAPTER  XIX, 
THE  REUNION. 

Needless  to  say,  the  Rurales  did  not  capture  The 
Tiger,  or  Dato  or  Tomasso. 

But  from  the  time  when  the  bandit  chieftain  dashed 
over  the  prairie,  carrying  Mercedes  before  him,  the 
two  of  them  dropped  out  of  sight  as  completely  as 
though  the  earth  had  swallowed  them. 

When  a  month  passed  and  their  chief  did  not  ap- 
pear at  the  rendezvous  he  had  made  at  the  bear  cave, 
Tomasso  and  Dato  grew  anxious. 

"Let's  see  if  he's  been  to  cache  to  get  any  more  of 
Ihe  gold  bullion/'  suggested  Dato. 


130          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Accordingly  they  went  to  the  spot  where  they  had 
buried  the  loot  obtained  by  robbing  the  ore  wagons. 

Villa's  share  of  the  plunder  was  gone,  but  their's 
was  intact. 

"Would  he  shake  old  chums  like  us  for  that  pretty 
girl?"  demanded  Tomasso,  as  they  sat  down  to  dis- 
cuss the  discovery  that  The  Tiger's  bullion  had  been 
removed  from  the  cache. 

"You  never  can  tell  what  a  man  will  do  when 
there's  a  woman  in  the  case,"  said  Dato,  wisely,  "but 
it  doesn't  seem  possible." 

It  was  not  for  some  few  years  that  the  three  bandits 
met  again. 

Where  Villa  passed  those  years  is  as  much  of  a 
mystery  as  why  he  changed  his  name  from  Doroteo 
Arranzo  to  Francisco  Villa,  and  like  that,  is  prob- 
ably known  only  to  himself. 

It  may  have  been  during  this  period  that  The  Tiger 
served  an  enlistment.  Also,  he  may  have  visited  dur- 
ing it  the  old  South  American  countries,  where  rumor 
has  it,  he  led  several  revolutions. 

But  wherever  he  was,  he  returned  sound  in  limb 
and  body,  and  he  today  swears  that  save  on  the  two 
occasions  when  Huerta  put  him  there  he  has  never 
been  in  jail. 

It  was  in  a  barroom  in  Juarez  that  the  three  men 
met  after  the  long  years  of  separation. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  131 

Tomasso  and  Dato  had  stuck  together,  barely  man- 
aging to  keep  out  of  the  hands  of  the  R) /rales  while 
indulging  in  raids  that  were  tame  compared  to  those 
led  by  The  Tiger. 

A  lucky  hold-up  supplied  the  pair  with  funds,  and 
they  decided  the  States  would  be  much  safer  for 
them  for  a  while  than  Mexico. 

Accordingly  they  went  to  El  Paso  but,  as  the  rac- 
ing season  was  on,  they  frequently  crossed  to  Juarez. 

Having  passed  an  afternoon  at  the  track,  they 
dropped  into  the  Grinning  Bear  saloon. 

As  they  did  so,  a  man  who  had  been  drinking 
turned  about. 

It  was  Francisco  Villa. 

The  recognition  was  mutual. 

"Madre  di  Dios,  Panch "  began  Dato,  rushing 

to  him  with  outstretched  hands. 

But  The  Tiger  put  his  finger  to  his  lips  to  enjoin 
silence  as  to  his  identity. 

As  of  old,  the  others  obeyed  him  and,  turning  on 
their  heels,  the  three  left  the  Grinning  Bear  and 
entered  another  barroom. 

Villa,  however,  evaded  questions  as  to  Mercedes 
and  what  he  had  been  doing,  merely  declaring  that  he 
•had  been  able  to  turn  a  few  tricks. 

"But  I've  got  something  on  now,  old  pals,  in  which 
you  can  help  me.  How  about  it?" 


132          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDnj 


CHAPTER  XX. 
VILLA  WREAKS  His  VENGEANCE. 

Only  jtoo  glad  to  have  been  reunited  with  their 
old-time  leader,  the  others  eagerly  declared  their  will- 
ingness to  share  any  danger  or  pleasure  with  The 
Tiger. 

"It's  this  way,"  declared  the  bandit  chieftain:  "I 
have  a  little  ranch  near  Sonora.  And  I  had  a  daughter 
there. 

"I  was  not  known  as  Francisco  Villa — what  the 
name  was  is  of  no  consequence. 

"I  went  away  on  a  business  trip. 

"When  I  returned,  I  found  the  house  but  smoulder* 
ing  embers. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          133 

"Crazed  with  anxiety  I  started  to  find  my  little 
Dolores.  She  was  six  years  old. 

"I  did  not  have  far  to  search. 

"In  an  orchard  some  hundred  yards  from  where 
the  house  had  been  I  came  upon  her  little  body  hang- 
ing from  a  limb. 

"To  her  dress  was  pinned  a  note.    Here  it  is." 

And  from  his  money  pouch  Villa  took  a  soiled 
piece  of  paper  and  read : 

"  'We  do  not  want  any  Villas  or  brats  of  Villa's 
in  Sonora. 

"We  came  to  get  you.  The  girl  would  not  tell  us 
where  you  were. 

"Let  this  be  a  warning  to  you  as  to  what  we  shall 
do  to  you  when  we  get  you — and  get  you  we  will  if 
you  remain  in  Sonora. 

'CARLOS, 
Trince  of  the  Black  Riders.' " 

There  were  tears  in  the  eyes  of  The  Tiger  as  he 
finished  reading  the  warning,  and  though  he  essayed 
to  speak,  his  voice  was  too  broken. 

"So  you  want  us  to  help  you  hunt  this  Carlos, 
Prince  of  Black  Riders  down?''  said  Tomasso. 

"Yes,"  said  their  chief,  recovering  his  composure. 
"That  is,  I'd  be  glad  to  have  your  company  tonight. 

"This  all  happened  six  weeks  ago,  but  it  was  only 


134          FRANSISe®  VFLLA,  BANDIT 

this  morning  I  learned  who  Carlos  was. 

"He  and  his  band  of  cutthroats  have  been  away  on 
one  of  what  they  call  their  vigilante  trips. 

"They  return  tonight. 

'Their  meeting  place  is  in  a  hut  in  the  woods  five 
miles  to  the  south  of  here. 

"Carlos  always  comes  to  his  home  after  a  trip  be- 
fore going  to  the  headquarters. 

"I  shall  meet  him  between  his  home  and  the  ren- 
dezvous." 

"We're  with  you,"  chorused  Tomasso  and  Dato. 

"Good!  Let's  go  out,  I  have  some  purchases  to 
make." 

Going  to  the  hardware  shop,  The  Tiger  purchased 
a  meat  cleaver,  two  quarts  of  black  paint  and  a  paint 
brush. 

"Why  the ?" 

"Don't  ask  questions,"  Villa  interrupted.  "You'll 
understand  tonight." 

In  various  saloons  the  bandits  passed  the  time  till 
The  Tiger  deemed  it  necessary  for  them  to  go  on 
their  mission. 

Riding  till  they  came  to  a  group  of  trees,  they 
halted  and  Villa  uncoiled  his  lariat. 

Hidden  by  the  shadows  they  could  see  up  and 
down  the  road  without  themselves  being  visible. 

At  the  end  of  half  an  hour  their  vigil  was  re- 


FRAN6ISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  135 

warded  by  the  appearance  of  a  horseman  garbed  all 
in  black. 

Waiting  till  the  rider  was  opposite  The  Tiger 
threw  his  lariat  and  jerked  the  horseman  from  the 
saddle. 

With  the  assistance  of  his  chums  the  bandit  dragged 
him  to  the  trees. 

"I  am  Francisco  Villa,"  he  announced.  "I  have 
come  to  avenge  my  Dolores. 

"And  for  one  pain  you  caused  her  I  will  make  you 
suffer  a  hundred. 

"First  I'll  begin  with  your  fingers.  You'll  get  more 
agony." 

Binding  the  man  rigid  with  his  lariat,  The  Tiger 
spread  out  his  left  hand  and  chopped  off  the  fingers 
with  his  meat  cleaver. 

"Gag  him,  so  he  can't  give  any  alarm  by  his  cries, 
Dato,"  the  terrible  bandit  commanded. 

Then  he  chopped  off  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand. 

Next  he  cut  the  arms  at  the  elbows. 
>The  feet  at  the  ankles  were  then  severed. 

Finally,  the  arms  were  cut  off  at  the  shoulders,  and 
the  legs  at  the  groin. 

Hurriedly  opening  the  paint,  The  Tiger  stripped 
the  clothes  from  the  parts  of  the  body  and  painted 
the  different  pieces  black. 

This  done,  he  placed  them  in  a  bag  which  he  swung 


136          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

at  his  saddle  horn,  then  mounted  and  rode  ahead, 
followed  by  his  horrified  chums. 

Arrived  at  the  shack,  Villa  dismounted  and  took 
the  bag. 

Going  to  the  door  of  the  shanty  he  opened  it  and 
hurled  in  the  head. 

As  it  rolled  along  the  floor,  hideous  in  its  black 
paint,  The  Tiger  yelled: 

"Here  is  your  Carlos,  Prince  of  Black  Riders,  by 
order  of  Francisco  Villa." 

Then  as  fast  as  he  could,  he  threw  the  other  parts 
of  the  body  into  the  room,  laughed  shrilly,  and  going 
to  his  horse,  mounted  and  rode  away. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  137 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
VILLA  INCREASES  His  BAND. 

Though  they  had  seen  their  leader  in  m^ny  moods, 
and  under  many  circumstances,  never  had  they  seen 
him  so  much  like  the  devil  incarnate,  which  his  ene- 
mies call  him,  as  when  he  was  wreaking  his  vengeance 
upon  the  so-called  "Prince  of  the  Black  Riders." 

So  terrible  was  he  to  behold,  face,  hands  and 
clothes  bespattered  with  the  blood  of  his  victim,  that 
they  dared  not  speak  to  him. 

Accordingly  they  fell  in  behind  him  and  followed 
him. 

To  their  surprise,  instead  of  heading  for  Juarez, 
The  Tiger  led  them  in  the  direction  of  their  old 
stamping  ground,  the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains. 


138          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

Like  wild  fire,  the  news  of  the  horrible  fate  to 
which  the  leader  of  the  Black  Riders  had  been  sub- 
jected spread,  and  when  they  heard  it  had  been  in- 
flicted by  the  terrible  bandit  chieftain,  people  again 
began  to  fear  his  raids. 

And  good  reason  did  they  have  so  to  -do. 

The  cruel  death  of  his  Dolores  seemed  to  drown 
out  any  spark  of  human  kindness  that  had  been  in 
him,  leaving  him  all  devil. 

With  the  band  which  he  quickly  recruite-d — and 
among  them  were  others  of  his  old  followers,  Bepo, 
'Rico  and  Pulque— he  was  short  and  firm  With  his 
enemies,  when  he  could  catch  them,  he  was  merciless, 
and  he  took  particular  delight  in  torturing  any  of  the 
Rurales  who,  while  hunting  him,  chanced  to  fall  into 
his  hands. 

Up  and  down  the  States  of  Durango  and  Chihua- 
hua he  rode,  robbing,  burning,  murdering.  His 
methods  were  the  same  as  of  yore.  His  appearance 
was  as  sudden  and  as  unexpected,  but  he  was  ever- 
more prone  to  shoot  any  one  who  crossed  or 
thwarted  him  in  any  way. 

The  rule  of  his  arch-enemy,  Porifirio  Diaz,  was 
tottering. 

The  ignorant  masses  were  becoming  incensed  at  the 
wrongs  to  which  they  were  subjected  at  the  hands 
of  the  land  owners  and  the  aristocracy. 


VILLA,  BANDIT  139 


Through  the  country  Francisco  Madero  was  going, 
telling  them  that  as  human  beings  they  had  some 
rights,  but  that  they  could  never  hope  to  attain  them 
till  they  revolted  against  the  rule  of  Diaz  and  the 
reactionary  forces  for  which  he  stood. 

As  a  result  of  this  revolutionary  propaganda,  the 
men  of  the  masses  were  growing  restless. 

They  formed  into  bands  and  began  to  pillage  and 
burn,  taking  by  force  the  things  they  could  not  have 
otherwise. 

It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  in  this  spirit  of 
brigandage  they  should  look  to  the  most  desperate 
brigand  Mexico  had  ever  known,  Francisco  Villa,  as 
their  leader  —  and  they  did. 

Men  from  all  sections  of  the  country  sought  him 
out  and  begged  him  to  let  them  ride  with  him.  But 
he  was  ever  a  believer  in  small  forces  which  could 
strike  quickly  and  get  away  even  more  quickly. 

Nevertheless,  he  added  many  of  the  applicants  to 
his  band,  administering  the  old  oath  of  allegiance  to 
them,  until  it  numbered  about  thirty. 

In  all  truth  he  had  made  himself  the  people's  idol 
and  terror, 


140          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
THE  RAID  ON  THE  SONOMA  COLONY. 

Ever  since  the  death  of  his  daughter,  The  Tiger 
had  sought  to  learn  who  it  was  that  had  disclosed 
his  real  identity  to  the  Black  Riders. 

His  efforts,  however,  had  been  in  vain. 

And  in  his  fury,  he  turned  from  the  individual  to 
the  group  and  began  to  harass  the  colonists  at  So- 
noma. 

At  first  he  confined  himself  to  running  off  their 
horses  and  cattle,  and  to  burning  their  ranch  houses* 

But  as  they  either  bought  more  or  built  new  ones, 
he  conceived  the  idea  of  rendering  them  powerless 
so  to  do  by  depriving  them  of  their  money. 

In  the  fertile  Sonoma  valley  there  were  some 
twenty  ranch  owners,  living  their  wish — their  fam- 
ilies, servants  and  cowboys. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT          141 

Waiting  until  money  from  their  cattle  had  been 
paid,  The  Tiger  split  his  band  of  fifty  into  three  sec- 
tions, placing  them  under  command  of  Tomasso,  Dato 
and  Pulque. 

"You  will  bring  the  ranch  owners  and  their  fam- 
ilies to  the  colony  church,"  he  instructed  his  lieu- 
tenants. 

"I  will  meet  you  there  day  after  tomorrow.  Be 
sure  to  fix  the  punchers  so  that  they  cannot  attempt 
a  rescue." 

Never  did  church  present  a  stranger  appearance 
than  on  the  day  of  the  appointed  round-up. 

White  faced  men,  trembling  women  and  cowering 
children,  sat  in  the  pews  fearful  of  what  was  to 
happen. 

And  well  they  might  be. 

Entering  the  church  with  his  sombrero  on  the  back 
of  his  head,  Villa  swaggered  to  the  pulpit. 

"I've  called  you  together,"  he  announced,  "because 
I  need  money. 

"You  have  just  received  your  pay  for  your  cattle. 
I  want  you  to  bring  that  money  to  me. 

"You  who  are  ranch  owners,  please  step  up  and 
tell  me  how  much  you  can  give." 

But  no  one  moved. 

"Do  you  forget  that  I  am  Francisco  Villa?"  he  de- 


142          FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 

manded.    "My  time  is  precious.    Don't  make  me  ask 
you  again." 

But  this  command  produced  no  better  results  than 
the  first. 

"Very  well,"  snapped  The  Tiger,  "if  you  won't 
do  it  of  your  own  accord,  I'll  make  you. 

"Tomasso,  bring  in  the  ropes.  Dato  bring  the 
branding  irons." 

As  the  men  obeyed,  the  colonists  groaned,  women 
and  children  crying  and  shrieking. 

"Now,  Bepo,  bring  out  that  little  girl  in  the  first 
pew,"  he  commanded. 

Yelling  and  shrieking,  the  child  was  dragged  forth, 
other  members  of  the  bandit  gang  overpowering  the 
father  and  mother. 

"Attach  the  ropes,"  The  Tiger  snapped. 

Quickly  they  were  adjusted  to  the  child's  feet  and 
shoulders,  the  feet  in  turn  being  attached  to  the  base 
of  the  pulpit. 

"Ten  of  you  take  the  other  end  and  pull  till  I  tell 
you  to  stop.  Don't  jerk,  pull  steadily." 

As  the  bandits  walked  down  the  aisle  and  the  slack 
of  the  rope  was  taken  up,  the  father  jumped  to  his 
feet. 

"You're  an  imp  of  hell,"  he  shouted,  "but  I  canr 
not  see  my  child  tortured. 

"I'll  give  you  three  thousand  dollars." 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  143 

"Now  you  have  some  sense,"  The  Tiger  exclaimed. 
"Go  with  him  Dato  and  get  the  money." 

As  the  two  left  the  church,  Villa  turned  to  Bepo. 

"Bring  up  that  woman  in  the  second  pew  on  the 
left,"  he  snarled. 

The  woman,  a  wife  and  mother,  was  dragged 
cowering  to  the  pulpit. 

"Tear  off  her  waist  and  brand  her  back,"  ordered 
The  Tiger. 

Quickly  hia  men  obeyed. 

As  the  red  hot  branding  iron  approached  the  white 
flesh  of  her  back,  the  woman's  husband  leaped  to  his 
feet. 

"Stop!  And  I'll  give  you  eight  thousand,"  he 
shouted. 

Again  the  torture  was  prevented,  and  Tomasso  was 
dispatched  with  the  rancher  to  fetch  the  money. 

One  after  another,  Villa  went  through  the  group 
of  colonists,  and  his  threats  of  torture  netted  him 
some  $35,000. 


144  FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
VILLA  BECOMES  A  GENERAL. 

It  was  shortly  after  this  raid  upon  the  colony  at 
Sonoma  that  Villa  met  Raoul  Madero,  brother  of 
Francisco,  who  had  launched  his  revolution. 

What  strange  bond  there  was  between  the  men 
seems  incomprehensible,  so  utterly  unlike  were  they 
in  actions,  thoughts  and  education. 

The  fact  remains,  however,  that  they  became  the 
most  intimate  of  friends. 

As  the  Madero  forces  were  being  defeated  by  the 
Diaz  troops,  Raoul  finally  wrote  a  letter  to  his  brother, 
acclaiming  The  Tiger  as  a  hero  and  a  military  genius. 

He  begged  him  to  enlist  him  in  the  cause  as  a 
general. 

Naturally  Francisco  Madero  hesitated  to  elevate 
a  murdering  robber,  who  had  been  hunted  for  fifteen 
years  by  the  Rurales,  from  outlawry  to  the  status  of 
a  military  man. 


FRANCISCO  VILLA,  BANDIT  145 

\ 

At  last,  however,  when  his  revolution  was  almost 
suppressed,  Francisco  Madero,  willing  to  grasp  at 
any  straw  in  his  desperation,  sent  The  Tiger  a  com- 
mission as  general  in  the  revolutionary  army. 

Quickly  Villa  gathered  the  bands  of  malcontents 
and  welded  them  into  the  army  with  which  he  has 
achieved  such  remarkable  results. 

What  these  are,  the  newspapers  and  magazines  have 
described  for  the  last  three  years. 

But  the  changing  of  Francisco  Villa  from  a  bandit 
to  a  general  has  not  changed  his  nature. 

When  he  feels  like  shooting  a  man,  he  does  so, 
regardless  of  who  he  is.  He  raids  and  plunders  as 
in  the  days  when  he  was  the  quarry  of  the  Rurales. 
He  burns  and  desecrates  as  his  fancy  pleases. 

But  his  low  origin,  his  hatred  of  Gringos  and  the 
aristocracy,  have  endeared  him  to  his  troops  and  to 
the  masses,  till  he  stands  forth  today  as  the  one  man 
in  Mexico  who  has  the  paradoxical  title  of  the  peo- 
ple's idol  and  terror. 

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[  "Parlez 
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I"Do  you 
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"Parlai  voo 
Fraunsay?** 

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19.  New  Italian  Jokes  and  Recitations 

20.  New  Polite  Vaudeville  Joke  Book 

21.  Told  on  the  Train  (new  and  original) 

22.  Automobile  Joke  Book 

23.  One  Thousand  Laughs  from  Vaude-J 

ville 


Any  of  the  above  Books  sent  postpaid  for  25  Cents  Per  Copy. 

I.  &  M.  OTTENHEIMER,  PUBLISHERS 
321  W.  Baltimore  Street  Baltimore, 


Md. 


